News

Tag: AQI

  • Lahore AQI 244: World’s Most Polluted City Again

    Lahore AQI 244: World’s Most Polluted City Again

    Lahore once again became the world’s most polluted city on Saturday morning, 14 November 2026, after just one day of relief, with its air quality index (AQI) reaching 244 early in the morning, according to 24NewsHD.

    The city had enjoyed a brief respite on Friday, when wind and drizzle brought a temporary improvement in the air. However, that relief proved to be short-lived. By Saturday morning, pollution levels had climbed again, pushing Lahore back to the top of the global ranking of the world’s most polluted cities after a break of only a single day.

    Pollution levels across the city

    Readings recorded across Lahore on Saturday morning showed sharply varying levels of air pollution in different parts of the city. Multan Road recorded the worst air quality in the city, with an AQI of 500, the highest reading reported anywhere in Lahore.

    Safari Park followed with an AQI of 285, while Kahna recorded 259, Burki Road 253 and DHA Phase-6 251. Punjab University recorded an AQI of 213, Egerton Road 212 and Shahdara 204. Readings were comparatively lower on GT Road, at 194, and at Wagah Border, where the AQI stood at 175.

    The figures show that poor air quality was not limited to one part of Lahore. High readings were reported in residential areas, commercial areas and outlying parts of the city alike, with even the lowest reading recorded in the city, at Wagah Border, standing well above levels considered healthy.

    No rain expected, dry weather ahead

    The Met Office said there was no chance of rain in the city and that the weather would remain dry during the next 24 hours, offering no immediate prospect of the kind of relief that wind and drizzle had briefly brought on Friday.

    The minimum temperature in Lahore was recorded at 16 degrees Celsius on Saturday, while it was likely to rise to 26 degrees Celsius later in the day, according to the Met Office.

    A breeze was expected to blow in the city at a speed of five kilometres per hour, while the level of moisture in the air could reach 77 per cent.

  • Rain Brings Smog Relief to Lahore as AQI Drops to 111

    Rain Brings Smog Relief to Lahore as AQI Drops to 111

    Rain and drizzle in several cities across Pakistan have brought some relief from smog in Lahore, reducing the city’s average Air Quality Index to 111, while the first winter rainfall and snowfall in the northern areas have intensified the cold weather, according to the Meteorological Department.

    According to Dunya News, winds blowing since last evening and light rain in different areas of Lahore have contributed to a slight improvement in air quality. The provincial capital is expected to remain cloudy on Friday, with chances of light drizzle at scattered places during different parts of the day.

    Weather data shows that Lahore’s maximum temperature is expected to reach 29 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is likely to remain at 17 degrees Celsius. Humidity has been recorded at 70 per cent, with winds blowing at a speed of five kilometres per hour.

    The improvement came a day after Delhi overtook Lahore as the world’s most polluted major city, with air quality in the Indian capital reaching hazardous levels. Lahore had ranked as the most polluted major city in the world for several days in a row before Friday’s rain brought the readings down, Dawn reported.

    However, the air pollution situation in Bahawalpur remains extremely alarming, with the city’s Air Quality Index reaching 520, Dunya News reported. Residents, particularly those suffering from asthma and other respiratory conditions, have been advised to remain cautious despite the improvement in Lahore.

    Meanwhile, the first winter rainfall and snowfall in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan have brought a sharp drop in temperatures, making the weather extremely cold. Heavy snowfall at Babusar Top has forced the closure of roads beyond Baisar, leaving two oil tankers stranded due to adverse weather conditions.

    Snowfall has also been reported in the mountains of Upper Hunza and at the Khunjerab Pass. The Meteorological Department has forecast further rain and snowfall across the country over the next 24 hours, and officials say the improvement in Lahore’s air quality may be temporary, as readings can change with wind direction and atmospheric conditions.

  • Punjab Issues Strict Smog Safety Guidelines for Schools

    Punjab Issues Strict Smog Safety Guidelines for Schools

    Punjab’s School Education Department has issued new guidelines for schools across the province to protect students and staff from the harmful effects of smog, 24NewsHD reported on Friday.

    Under the directives, students have been advised to wear masks, stay hydrated and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities during smoggy conditions.

    Schools have been instructed to keep doors and windows closed during periods of heavy smog while ensuring that classrooms remain clean and well ventilated.

    A complete ban has been imposed on burning trash or any other materials within school premises. Institutions have also been directed to ensure proper waste disposal arrangements, and teachers must immediately attend to students showing signs of illness.

    The department has ordered awareness campaigns for students and parents about the health risks linked to smog. Special care must be taken of students suffering from asthma, particularly during physical activities.

    Schools have further been directed to maintain emergency medical records of students with respiratory or heart conditions, so that help can be provided quickly if a student falls ill.

    The department has also ordered daily monitoring of the Air Quality Index (AQI) in schools and directed each district to appoint a focal person to coordinate with the Health Department. Schools will be issued instructions according to the prevailing air quality conditions, and district focal persons will share the daily readings with the health authorities so that timely advice can reach schools.

    Smog returns to Punjab’s plains every winter, when a mix of vehicle emissions, dust and smoke hangs over the province and pushes air quality to unhealthy levels. Schools are among the first institutions to feel the impact, as children are more vulnerable to the fine particles in smoggy air.

    The guidelines come as Punjab continues to battle seasonal smog. Lahore received light rain on Friday, which brought some relief and improved the air quality, with the city’s AQI dropping to 111, according to earlier reports. The School Education Department’s directives are meant to keep that protection in place for students even as smog levels fluctuate in the coming weeks.

  • Delhi Overtakes Lahore as World’s Most Polluted City

    Delhi Overtakes Lahore as World’s Most Polluted City

    India’s capital Delhi overtook Lahore in Pakistan on Friday to become the world’s most polluted city, with air quality reaching hazardous levels and visibility dropping as smog blanketed the city of 20 million people.

    According to Swiss group IQAir, which measures air quality based on the concentration of toxins, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 334, rated “hazardous”, making it the most polluted global major city.

    India’s official Central Pollution Control Board put the figure higher, at 403, and rated it “severe”. The two readings differ because the Swiss and Indian authorities use different AQI scales and methodologies to calculate and classify air pollution levels.

    Videos from news agency ANI showed cars and motorcycles emerging from dense smog, with the haze also obscuring street lights on the city’s main roads, as visibility fell sharply across the capital.

    The smog settled over the city of 20 million people, cutting visibility for commuters and leaving roads and buildings wrapped in a thick grey haze through the day.

    A seasonal problem

    Pollution is a seasonal problem in many parts of northern India and neighbouring Pakistan. As winter sets in, cold, heavy air traps vehicle emissions, construction dust and smoke from agricultural burning close to the ground, pushing pollution levels sharply higher.

    The three sources behind the haze — exhaust fumes from vehicles, dust raised by construction work, and smoke from crop burning in surrounding farmland — combine each winter to leave a thick pall hanging over cities across the region.

    An AQI reading of up to 50 is considered good, with little or no health risk. Delhi’s reading on Friday stood far above that level on both the Swiss and the Indian measures, underlining how poor the air had become in the Indian capital.

    Lahore had earlier found some relief after rain, when its air quality index dropped to 111. But with winter approaching, both cities remain exposed to the same seasonal pattern, as cold air continues to trap pollution close to the ground.

    Friday’s readings put Delhi ahead of Lahore at the top of the global ranking of major cities, with the winter smog season now under way across northern India and neighbouring Pakistan.

  • Lahore Rain Brings Smog Relief as Air Quality Improves

    Lahore Rain Brings Smog Relief as Air Quality Improves

    Lahore received light rain on Friday, bringing the city its first real relief from a week of choking smog, as overnight showers washed dust and pollutants from the air and pushed the city’s air quality index down from hazardous levels.

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department recorded 3.8 millimetres of rain in Lahore city and 1.4 millimetres at the airport over the past 24 hours, with rain and thunderstorms reported at isolated places across the city. The showers came as a shallow westerly wave that entered the country on Tuesday strengthened over the upper parts of Pakistan, bringing the rain the Met Office had forecast for Lahore on November 12 and 13.

    Air quality improves, but remains unhealthy

    The change was visible in the air quality readings. Lahore’s air quality index stood at 394 on Thursday, a hazardous reading that once again placed the city among the world’s most polluted, according to data reported by Dawn. By Friday morning, the index had fallen to 159, still in the unhealthy range but far below the peaks of the past week. The provincial environment department had forecast the index would fall to 218 on Friday, and the improvement was enough for Delhi to move ahead of Lahore on the global ranking of the most polluted major cities.

    The relief, however, is only partial. An index of 159 still means the air is not satisfactory, with fine PM2.5 particles the main pollutant, and health experts advise residents to limit prolonged outdoor activity, wear masks and keep children indoors when pollution is high.

    A week of hazardous air

    The rain arrived after days in which Lahore repeatedly topped the world’s most polluted cities list. The city recorded no rain at all between November 1 and 10, while still air allowed pollution to build. A Pakistan Air Quality Initiative report found Lahore’s average PM2.5 concentration was 126 micrograms per cubic metre between October 1 and November 9, eight times the World Health Organisation’s guideline, and the city breached the national 24-hour air quality standard on all 40 days measured.

    Officials have blamed a mix of local emissions, including transport, crop-residue burning and waste burning, and pollution drifting across the border from Indian Punjab after Diwali celebrations, with easterly winds carrying fine particles into the region.

    Fog likely after the rain

    The Met Office has warned that fog could form over the plains after the rain, cutting visibility for motorists in the mornings, and the National Disaster Management Authority has issued an alert for rain, thunderstorms and night-time fog and smog in Lahore and other Punjab cities. The westerly system is expected to persist over the upper parts of the country until the morning of Saturday, November 14, after which conditions are expected to improve. Temperatures in Lahore are forecast to stay mild, with a high of around 29 degrees Celsius and a low of 17 on Friday, and the rain is also expected to bring cooler weather in the coming days.

  • Lahore Smog Hits AQI 451, World’s Most Polluted City

    Lahore Smog Hits AQI 451, World’s Most Polluted City

    Lahore has once again topped the global ranking of the most polluted major cities, with thick smog pushing the provincial capital’s air quality index to hazardous levels and raising serious concerns about public health.

    According to an international environmental monitoring website cited by Dunya News, Lahore recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 451, placing it at the top of the list of the world’s most polluted cities. 24NewsHD reported a similar reading of 450, confirming the city’s position at the top of the ranking. India’s capital, New Delhi, ranked second with an AQI of 224.

    Several areas of Lahore reported exceptionally high pollution levels. Gulberg recorded an AQI of 758, followed by Allama Iqbal Town at 752 and Syed Maratib Ali Road at 613, according to the reported figures. The readings were far above the level considered hazardous for human health.

    The air pollution situation remains alarming in other major cities across Punjab as well. Multan recorded an AQI of 902, while Gujranwala reported 726 and Faisalabad registered 389, showing that the smog crisis has spread well beyond the provincial capital.

    Health risks grow as smog persists

    Despite ongoing anti-smog measures by the authorities, hazardous air quality continues to affect several parts of Lahore, exposing residents to serious health risks. Doctors have repeatedly warned that prolonged exposure to such high levels of air pollution can worsen breathing problems, irritate the eyes and throat, and put children, the elderly and people with heart and lung conditions at greater risk.

    The smog, a dense mix of smoke and fog, returns to Punjab every winter as a result of vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, crop residue burning and weather conditions that trap pollutants close to the ground. Visibility drops sharply on the worst days, disrupting road travel and daily life across the province.

    Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has forecast a possibility of rainfall over the next two days. The expected showers may help reduce the intensity of smog across the region by washing pollutants out of the air.

    However, the rainfall is also likely to bring colder weather to Lahore, with temperatures expected to drop. Residents have been advised to limit outdoor activity during peak smog hours and to take precautions, particularly for children and people with breathing difficulties, until the air clears.

  • لاہور سموگ: اے کیو آئی 410، شاہدرہ میں 808 تک پہنچ گیا

    لاہور سموگ: اے کیو آئی 410، شاہدرہ میں 808 تک پہنچ گیا

    لاہور ایک بار پھر دنیا کے آلودہ ترین شہر کے طور پر سامنے آیا ہے، جہاں فضا میں زہریلی دھند کا راج ہے اور اسپتالوں میں سانس کی بیماریوں کے مریضوں کی تعداد تیزی سے بڑھ رہی ہے۔ شہر کا اوسط ایئر کوالٹی انڈیکس 410 تک پہنچ گیا ہے، جو عالمی ادارہ صحت کی محفوظ حد سے 51.8 گنا زیادہ ہے۔ ماہرین صحت اس صورتحال کو سموگ کی ہنگامی صورتحال قرار دے رہے ہیں۔

    محلوں کی سطح پر صورتحال کہیں زیادہ سنگین ہے۔ شاہدرہ میں ایئر کوالٹی انڈیکس 808 تک جا پہنچا، جبکہ علامہ اقبال ٹاؤن میں 627، ڈیفنس فیز 6 میں 620، ماڈل ٹاؤن اور برکی روڈ میں 587، 587 اور سمن آباد میں 534 ریکارڈ کیا گیا۔ یہ اعداد و شمار ظاہر کرتے ہیں کہ شہر کا کوئی حصہ اس زہریلی فضا سے محفوظ نہیں رہا۔

    سرکاری اسپتالوں میں سانس کی بیماریوں کے مریضوں کی آمد میں واضح اضافہ دیکھا جا رہا ہے۔ یونیورسٹی آف لاہور کے پروفیسر ڈاکٹر عرفان ملک کے مطابق شدید سانس کی تکالیف کے مریضوں میں 30 سے 40 فیصد اضافہ ہوا ہے، جن میں دمہ اور پھیپھڑوں کی دائمی بیماری کے مریض شامل ہیں۔ میو اسپتال میں ماہرین نے بتایا کہ پچھلے سال کے مقابلے میں دمہ کے کیسز میں 25 سے 30 فیصد اضافہ ریکارڈ کیا گیا ہے، جبکہ ناک، کان اور گلے کی بیماریاں بھی تیزی سے بڑھ رہی ہیں۔

    اس کے باوجود پنجاب حکومت اور محکمہ صحت کے پاس سموگ سے متاثرہ مریضوں کا کوئی مرکزی ڈیٹا موجود نہیں۔ اسپیشلائزڈ ہیلتھ کیئر اور پرائمری و سیکنڈری ہیلتھ کیئر کے ترجمانوں نے تصدیق کی ہے کہ سموگ کے مریضوں کا کوئی مرکزی ڈیٹا جمع نہیں کیا جا رہا۔ ڈاکٹر سلمان کاظمی کے مطابق اسپتالوں میں سافٹ ویئر موجود ہے لیکن اس میں سموگ سے متعلق بیماریوں کو الگ سے درج کرنے کی سہولت نہیں، اسی لیے متاثرہ افراد کی درست تعداد کا اندازہ لگانا ممکن نہیں۔ ان کا کہنا ہے کہ سوشل میڈیا پر گردش کرنے والے اعداد و شمار زیادہ تر قیاس آرائی پر مبنی ہیں۔

    ہر عمر متاثر

    ماہرین کے مطابق یہ بحران صرف سانس کی تکلیف تک محدود نہیں۔ ڈاکٹر عرفان ملک نے خبردار کیا کہ باریک ذرات جسم میں سوزش پیدا کرتے ہیں، پھیپھڑوں کی بیماریاں بڑھاتے ہیں اور دل کے دورے جیسے خطرات بھی پیدا کر سکتے ہیں۔ ان کا کہنا ہے کہ حاملہ خواتین میں قبل از وقت زچگی اور نوزائیدہ بچوں کے پھیپھڑوں کی نشوونما متاثر ہونے کا خطرہ بڑھ جاتا ہے۔ بچوں کے ماہر ڈاکٹر مسعود اختر شیخ کے مطابق باریک ذرات بچوں کی سانس کی نالی، جلد اور آنکھوں کو نقصان پہنچاتے ہیں اور طویل مدتی نمائش سے دماغی نشوونما بھی متاثر ہو سکتی ہے۔ بوڑھے افراد میں یادداشت کی کمزوری اور ڈیمنشیا کا خطرہ بھی بڑھ جاتا ہے۔

    ڈاکٹر آصف حنیف کے مطابق روزانہ تقریباً 50 ہزار بھاری گاڑیاں لاہور میں داخل ہوتی ہیں، جبکہ غیر نگرانی شدہ صنعتی اخراج، اینٹوں کے بھٹے، فصلوں کی باقیات جلانا اور سڑک کنارے کھانا پکانا فضائی آلودگی کے بڑے اسباب ہیں۔ ان کا کہنا ہے کہ قانون سازی کی کمی اور قوانین پر عمل درآمد نہ ہونے نے شہر کو ماحولیاتی خطرے میں تبدیل کر دیا ہے۔

    وزیر صحت خواجہ سلمان رفیق کا کہنا ہے کہ اسپتال آنے والے تمام مریضوں کا علاج کیا جا رہا ہے اور حفاظتی ہدایات جاری کر دی گئی ہیں۔ تاہم ماہرین کا مطالبہ ہے کہ اسپتالوں کے ڈیجیٹل نظام میں سموگ کی بیماریوں کا لازمی رجسٹر قائم کیا جائے، ہاؤسنگ سوسائٹیوں میں کم از کم 20 فیصد سبز رقبہ لازم کیا جائے، نہروں اور شہر کے گرد درختوں کی گھنی پٹیاں لگائی جائیں، بھاری ٹرانسپورٹ کے داخلے پر پابندی اور اخراج کے معیار پر سختی سے عمل کیا جائے۔ ماہرین نے سمارٹ لاک ڈاؤن، بازاروں کے اوقات کار میں تبدیلی، سموگ گنز کے استعمال اور آلودگی کے دوران اسکولوں اور دفاتر کو آن لائن منتقل کرنے کی بھی تجویز دی ہے۔

  • Lahore AQI 273: World’s Second Most Polluted City

    Lahore AQI 273: World’s Second Most Polluted City

    Lahore remained gripped by smog on Saturday, with the city’s air quality index touching 273 in the morning and the Punjab capital emerging as the world’s second most polluted city.

    Air quality readings varied sharply across neighbourhoods. Iqbal Town recorded the worst reading at 414, followed by Paragon City at 324, Cantonment at 331, Gulberg-II at 300, Burki Road at 290, Chaman Park at 279, Model Town at 271, Bedian Road at 258, DHA Phase-V at 247 and Askari-10 at 194.

    Air quality figures change hour by hour and differ between monitoring systems. Later in the day, live global rankings still placed Lahore second among major world cities, behind Delhi, which recorded readings above 480. Lahore has ranked among the world’s most polluted cities for much of this week, with readings above 450 reported earlier in the week.

    Experts have advised people to take precautionary measures, urging them to avoid going outside unnecessarily and to wear face masks when they must go out. The smog season arrives every pre-winter in northern South Asia, when falling temperatures trap smoke and dust close to the ground.

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned of fog and smog in Lahore, Narowal, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur and nearby areas over the weekend, with reduced visibility in the early hours. The Met Office said the weather in Lahore would remain dry over the next 24 hours, with a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 16 degrees. Moisture in the air stood at 66 per cent, with a light breeze blowing at two kilometres per hour, offering little relief from the haze.

    Other Punjab cities recorded even worse air this week. Multan’s reading reached 719, while Kahna Nau stood at 655 and Kasur at 462, according to the Punjab air quality index. The provincial government has launched an anti-smog campaign, washing major roads and deploying mist guns to settle airborne dust.

    An air quality index reading of up to 50 is considered good, with little or no health risk. Readings above 300 fall in the hazardous range, and health experts say prolonged exposure can aggravate breathing problems, particularly for children, older people and those with asthma or heart conditions.

  • Lahore world’s most polluted city again as AQI hits 338

    Lahore world’s most polluted city again as AQI hits 338

    Lahore has once again ranked as the world’s most polluted city, as smog conditions across the city worsened and the average air quality index (AQI) climbed to 338.

    According to the Environment Department, Lahore’s average AQI has reached 338, a level that is considered hazardous for health. The city has topped global pollution rankings repeatedly during the smog season, and the latest reading puts it back at the top of the list.

    The average figure hides even worse readings in some neighbourhoods. In Paragon Society, the AQI was recorded at 548, while FC College recorded 508 and Model Town recorded 414. All three readings fall in the hazardous range, where the air is considered dangerous to breathe even for healthy people.

    Smog in Lahore is a recurring problem in the winter months, when cold air traps vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, dust and smoke from crop burning close to the ground. The thick haze reduces visibility, irritates the eyes and throat, and makes breathing difficult, particularly for children, older people and those with asthma or other lung conditions.

    Experts have advised residents to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities while the smog persists and to wear masks when they do go outside. People with breathing problems have been urged to take extra care and to seek medical help if their symptoms worsen.

    The Meteorological Department has forecast a minimum temperature of 17 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 30 degrees Celsius in Lahore over the next 24 hours. The weather is expected to remain dry, which means the smog is unlikely to clear quickly on its own.

    For the city’s residents, the return of hazardous air is a familiar frustration. Schools, offices and daily routines are all affected when the air quality deteriorates, and many people report coughing, sore throats and eye irritation during the worst days.

    Health experts say the most important step is to limit exposure, especially during the morning and evening hours when the smog tends to be thickest. Wearing a proper mask, keeping windows closed and avoiding exercise outdoors are among the precautions recommended during severe smog.

    The authorities have in past smog seasons announced measures such as restrictions on certain vehicles and industrial activity, as well as awareness campaigns urging people to protect themselves. Whether any fresh measures will be announced this time remains to be seen.

    For now, the confirmed facts are the average AQI of 338, the area readings that are far higher still, and the advice from experts to stay indoors where possible and to wear masks outside. Residents will be watching the daily readings closely in the coming days to see whether the air improves or worsens further.

    Lahore’s position at the top of the world’s pollution ranking is a reminder of how serious the city’s air quality problem has become, and how much it affects the daily lives of millions of people who live there.

  • Lahore world’s most polluted city as AQI hits 447

    Lahore world’s most polluted city as AQI hits 447

    Lahore became the world’s most polluted city on Tuesday as pre-winter smog settled over parts of northern India and adjoining Pakistan, according to air quality data reported by Reuters. Early on Tuesday, the city’s air quality index stood at 447, based on figures from IQAir, a Swiss group that measures air quality from the concentration of toxins in the air.

    That reading sits far above the level considered safe. An air quality index of up to 50 is generally treated as good, with little or no health risk, while a reading above 400 falls into the most severe category. Lahore’s fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, was reported to be 60 times higher than the World Health Organization’s annual exposure guideline, a stark illustration of how thick the haze had become.

    Delhi was also badly affected, although its reading was lower on the IQAir scale, at 215. India’s Central Pollution Control Board, which uses a different scale and method, rated the capital’s air quality as very poor, with a reading of 332. Authorities in Delhi responded with curbs on vehicles and construction in an effort to fight the toxic haze over the capital.

    Air pollution becomes a severe problem for the region around this time of year, as cooler weather traps smoke and dust close to the ground. Crop burning, vehicle exhaust, construction dust and industrial emissions all contribute, and the onset of winter conditions makes it harder for the pollution to disperse. The result is a familiar seasonal crisis that returns each year across the plains of northern South Asia.

    Fireworks during the Hindu festival of Diwali, which falls on 8 November this year, are expected to worsen pollution in India further, adding another source of smoke to air that is already heavily loaded. Health experts routinely warn that such spikes can aggravate breathing problems, particularly for children, older people and those with asthma or heart conditions.

    The different readings for Delhi highlight an important point about air quality figures: the Swiss and Indian systems use different scales and methods, so their numbers are not directly comparable. What matters is the direction and the category, and on both measures Delhi’s air was rated as seriously unhealthy on Tuesday, even if Lahore’s reading was higher still.

    For residents of Lahore, the ranking is an unwelcome reminder of a recurring challenge. Until weather conditions change or emissions fall, the city is likely to remain near the top of global pollution lists on smoggy winter mornings, with all the health and daily-life disruption that brings.