According to the latest data released by IQAir, Lahore has once again recorded the highest air pollution levels in the world, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 535, placing it in the “hazardous” category.
The report shows that Delhi, India, ranked second with an AQI of 496, while Beijing, China, stood third with 174. Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, also featured among the top five most polluted cities, recording an AQI of 166, categorized as “unhealthy.”
Other cities listed in the top ten include Baghdad (162), Dubai (152), Almaty (149), Johannesburg (137), Dhaka (133), and Chengdu (118).
IQAir classifies air quality levels from 0 to 50 as good, 51 to 100 as moderate, 101 to 150 as unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151 to 200 as unhealthy, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy, and above 300 as hazardous.
Environmental experts warn that such high pollution levels can cause severe respiratory and cardiovascular problems, urging immediate government action to reduce emissions, restrict smoke-emitting vehicles, and control industrial pollution.
Lahore and Karachi have both faced recurring smog crises in recent years, raising public health and safety concerns across Pakistan.
