LAHORE: A thick cloud of smog that enveloped Pakistan’s cultural capital on Wednesday has earned it the ignominious title of the world’s most polluted city, according to a Swiss air quality monitoring company.
Platform IQAir said that Lahore now stands at the top of its polluted cities ranking — with an air quality index of 203 on the US AQI scale, versus runner-up Dehli, India, with 183. That standing was at 0949 GMT; the two cities had traded places at least once over the course of the morning.
Increasing smog and particle-laden air has sickened thousands of people with respiratory and other illnesses, forcing many to stay at home on particularly dirty days like Wednesday.
Dhaka, Bangladesh came in third, with an index of 169, and Kolkata, India at fourth, with a reading of 168. Lahore stood at third place a day earlier.
Lahore was once known as the city of gardens, which were ubiquitous during the Mughal era of the 16th to 19th centuries. Intense urbanization and surging population growth have left little room for greenery across the city, Pakistan’s second largest after the capital Karachi.
Doctors are advising people to wear face masks to avoid respiratory related diseases.
Pakistani cultural capital is now world’s most polluted city
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Pakistani cultural capital is now world’s most polluted city
- Lahore now stands at the top of its polluted cities ranking — with an air quality index of 203 on the US AQI scale
- Increasing smog and particle-laden air has sickened thousands of people with respiratory and other illnesses
Saudi Arabia condemns deadly mosque bombing in Pakistan’s capital
- The Kingdom rejects targeting of places of worship, expresses solidarity with Pakistan
- Saudi foreign ministry offers condolences to victims’ families, wishes injured recovery
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia on Friday condemned the suicide bombing that targeted a mosque in Islamabad, expressing solidarity with Pakistan after the attack killed and injured dozens on the outskirts of the capital.
The blast, which struck during Friday prayers, killed at least 31 people and wounded more than 160 others, according to Pakistani authorities.
In a statement issued by its foreign ministry, Saudi Arabia denounced the targeting of a place of worship and rejected all forms of violence and extremism.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist bombing that targeted a mosque in the capital of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamabad,” the statement said.
It added that the Kingdom stood firmly against attacks on civilians and places of worship and reaffirmed its support for Pakistan in confronting militant violence.
The ministry also extended condolences to the families of those killed and expressed sympathy with the Pakistani government and people, wishing the wounded a speedy recovery.
No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, which Pakistani officials say is being investigated.
