Lahore air pollution has pushed the city to the top of the global ranking for the world’s most polluted places, with the Air Quality Index hitting a dangerous 240. The Swiss monitoring platform IQAir placed the Punjab capital firmly in the “very unhealthy” category, warning that the thick smog continues to blanket the city and affect daily life for millions of residents.
The level of PM2.5 particles, the tiny pollutants that can enter deep into the lungs, stood at 33 times higher than the annual guideline set by the World Health Organization. Other major Pakistani cities also recorded alarming figures. Faisalabad registered an AQI of 283, Peshawar reached 245, and Gujranwala stood at 228. These numbers show that poor air quality is not limited to Lahore alone but is spreading across large parts of the country.
Punjab authorities have pointed to pollution drifting across the border from India after the Diwali festival. Environment Protection Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb explained that light winds carried smoke and particles from firecrackers into Pakistan. She added that air quality is expected to improve from the early afternoon as weather conditions change and wind directions shift. Delhi, meanwhile, ranked as the second most polluted major city with an AQI of 188. Indian data showed that firecrackers contributed nearly 55 percent of the PM2.5 levels in the capital a day earlier.
Experts note that vehicle emissions, construction dust, and smoke from crop waste burning remain major year round sources of pollution on both sides of the border. Similar claims were made in previous years when Pakistan linked its smog to stubble burning in Indian Punjab. At that time, Indian weather officials had stated that wind patterns were actually moving air from Pakistan into India. This year, India’s ruling party has blamed farm fires in Punjab, which is governed by an opposition party, for Delhi’s poor air. Local reports mentioned a sharp rise in such fires around Diwali, though the state government insists the overall numbers have dropped compared to earlier years.
Residents in Lahore continue to face health risks as the toxic air lingers. Many people have started wearing face masks outdoors, and schools as well as outdoor activities are often affected during these smog episodes. The situation highlights the urgent need for coordinated action on both sides of the border to tackle seasonal pollution that returns every winter.
