Lahore has become the world’s most polluted city with AQI reaching 312 and PM2.5 levels 25 times above WHO limits. Several areas, including Allama Iqbal Town, reported AQI above 500, prompting health alerts across Punjab amid severe smog and poor visibility
Representational Image. File Pic
Amid the rising pollution crisis across the South Asian region, Lahore has emerged as one of the most polluted cities in the world. A thick, hazardous blanket of smog engulfed Lahore on Monday, with real-time data confirming that the city has been immensely polluted and air quality seems extremely concerning.
As reported by news agency ANI, data from IQAir on Monday evening showed Lahore's Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to a hazardous level of 312, along with the concentration of PM2.5, which is said to be the most dangerous particulate matter, reaching 190.5 micrograms per cubic meter, amounting to over 25 times higher than the World Health Organisation's annual air quality guideline.
The pollution, however, was not uniform across the city. One of the media agencies also reported that several monitoring stations recorded air quality levels in the 'hazardous' category, with some areas facing emergency conditions.
At City School, Allama Iqbal Town, AQI levels touched 505, which is described as a catastrophic health emergency. Similarly, Fauji Fertiliser Pakistan and The City School Shalimar Campus reported AQI levels of 525 and 366, respectively, a clear indication that millions of residents were breathing dangerously toxic air, as per news agency ANI.
Furthermore, the smog crisis has pushed Pakistan’s Punjab province into high alert, creating an alert and concern. According to the media reports, Lahore was followed closely by other major cities in the national rankings, including Faisalabad (AQI 439) and Multan (AQI 438), both of which registered air quality levels considered hazardous.
Other urban centres of Pakistan, such as Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, and Sialkot, also featured among the most polluted cities, reflecting a region-wide public health emergency across Punjab.
The global air quality ranking on Monday night placed Lahore (AQI 272) at the top of the world's most polluted cities, surpassing perennial hotspots such as Delhi (AQI 220) and Kolkata (AQI 170), according to Dawn.
According to the reports, urban areas in Pakistan are constantly near the top of global pollution statistics, indicating that the country's pollution problem is becoming worse.
Authorities have issued health recommendations advising people to stay home, especially youngsters, the elderly, and people with respiratory ailments, as per news agency ANI.
Calm winds (0 km/h) and high humidity (50%) have kept pollutants near the ground, exacerbating the haze and significantly impairing visibility in a number of places.
Amid the concerning environmental conditions in Pakistan, experts note that Lahore's ongoing haze, which is caused by industrial waste, automobile emissions, and seasonal crop burning, has become a yearly disaster.
(With inputs from ANI)
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