With an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 185 (categorized as unhealthy), Lahore has ranked second on the list of the 10 most polluted cities in the world, according to data collected from the IQ Air website on Sunday afternoon. The most polluted city globally is Delhi (India), with an AQI of 187, just ahead of Lahore.
Other Pakistani cities also made the list, with Karachi placed at ninth, recording an AQI of 107, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Following Lahore, Kuwait City ranked third with an AQI of 154, while Dhaka (Bangladesh) secured fourth place at 153, and Kolkata (India) came in fifth with an AQI of 151.
The rest of the top ten polluted cities included:
Dubai (AQI 140)
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (AQI 134)
Kathmandu, Nepal (AQI 120)
Manama, Bahrain (AQI 99)
Causes of Pollution in Lahore
Environmentalists have pointed to various factors contributing to Lahore’s high pollution levels. The use of substandard fuels, such as plastic and rubber, particularly in the cottage industries around Bund Road, has been identified as a major cause. These fuels significantly increase air pollution levels, yet government efforts to address the issue remain insufficient, according to experts.
In addition, vehicular emissions, stubble burning, and smog drifting in from India exacerbate Lahore’s pollution. Experts emphasize that these issues must be effectively managed to reduce the city’s alarming air quality index.
Ongoing roadwork in Lahore, requiring the use of heavy machinery, further worsens air quality. Many of the public vehicles used by agencies like LWMC, WASA, LDA, MCL, and others reportedly lack fitness certificates and are not regularly inspected by the authorities.
EPA’s Efforts to Control Smog
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has claimed that they are implementing measures to tackle the rising smog. According to officials, a ban has been imposed on the movement of uncovered sand and mud trollies across the province to minimize dust pollution.
While these efforts are a step in the right direction, environmentalists believe that much more is needed to mitigate the growing air quality concerns and protect public health in Lahore and other cities across Pakistan.
 of 185 (categorized as unhealthy), Lahore has ranked second on the list of the 10 most polluted cities in the world, according to data collected from the IQ Air website on Sunday afternoon. The most polluted city globally is Delhi (India), with an AQI of 187, just ahead of Lahore.){kind=link}