Lahore has once again claimed the unwelcome title of the world’s most polluted major city, with its Air Quality Index (AQI) climbing to 590 and a separate hourly reading peaking at 647, according to monitoring data from IQAir.
The live global ranking placed the provincial capital of Punjab at the top of the list on Monday, far ahead of Ulaanbaatar at 177, Delhi at 174, Kolkata at 173 and Sarajevo at 170.
Hazardous Levels Across the City
Pollution readings in several neighbourhoods of Lahore reached alarming levels, with Allama Iqbal Town recording an AQI of 1,033, the CERP Office area at 864 and Burki Road Paragon at 748. An AQI above 300 is generally considered hazardous to health.
Other cities in Punjab also registered dangerous air quality, including Raiwind at 688, Multan at 655 and Faisalabad at 600.
Multiple Sources Blamed for the Spike
The deterioration has been attributed to a combination of factors, including smoke drifting from Diwali fireworks in Indian Punjab, crop-residue burning and easterly winds carrying polluted air towards Lahore.
However, satellite data also points to significant agricultural fire activity within Pakistani Punjab, making local emissions a major concern in their own right.
- Smoke from Diwali fireworks in Indian Punjab
- Crop-residue burning on both sides of the border
- Easterly winds transporting polluted air into Lahore
- Local agricultural fires detected by satellite imagery
Authorities Step Up Enforcement
The Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) said it has intensified its crackdown on stubble burning, deploying drones, specialised night squads and firefighting teams across agricultural areas.
The provincial government expects pollution levels to remain high on November 9 and 10, with some improvement likely from November 11.
