LAHORE – The provincial capital of Punjab is again facing pollution crisis as the city’s air quality index (AQI) worsened to nearly 300 on Saturday, making it the most polluted city in the world.
Reports in local media said some areas witnessed alarmingly high levels, surpassing 300. Multan Road registered dangerous 316, Adda Plot 286, Shalimar Town 261, Paragon City 258, Syed Maratab Ali Road 247, and Bedian Road 243, raising serious health concerns for residents.
Health experts warned citizens to take all possible precautions, urging people to wear masks, limit outdoor activities, and keep their homes sealed against the hazardous air. Prolonged exposure, they caution, could have serious health consequences.
Most Polluted Cities in the world
| Rank | City | AQI⁺ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lahore, Pakistan | 200+ |
| 2 | Kinshasa, DR Congo | 152 |
| 3 | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | 129 |
| 4 | Kampala, Uganda | 127 |
| 5 | Delhi, India | 122 |
| 6 | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan | 100 |
| 7 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | 99 |
| 8 | Jakarta, Indonesia | 97 |
| 9 | Jerusalem, Israel | 96 |
| 10 | Wrocław, Poland | 94 |
| 11 | Dubai, UAE | 92 |
| 12 | Baku, Azerbaijan | 90 |
| 13 | Wuhan, China | 90 |
| 14 | Karachi, Pakistan | 90 |
| 15 | Shanghai, China | 86 |
| 16 | Kolkata, India | 86 |
| 17 | Hanoi, Vietnam | 86 |
| 18 | Beijing, China | 86 |
| 19 | Hangzhou, China | 82 |
| 20 | Nairobi, Kenya | 79 |
Met Office also predicted partly cloudy skies with 40 to 80pc chance of rainfall, which could temporarily ease pollution levels. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 33°C and dip to a minimum of 23°C, while humidity was recorded at 71 percent in the morning. A light breeze of five kilometers per hour offered little relief from the dense smog.
Authorities have called for urgent measures to monitor and control air pollution and stressed the importance of public awareness campaigns to protect the city’s residents from the growing environmental threat.
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