ISLAMABAD: Lahore remained the world’s most polluted city while the port city of Karachi ranked second, Swiss air quality monitor IQAir said on Friday, as toxic smog continued to blanket Pakistan’s urban centers.
Lahore recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 193, while Karachi registered a reading of 186, both deemed “unhealthy.” India’s capital, New Delhi, ranked third on the list of the world’s most polluted cities, with an AQI of 182, according to IQAir.
Lahore recorded a PM2.5 level of 116 µg/m³ at 2:00pm on Friday. PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers or smaller, which can enter the bloodstream when inhaled. IQAir warned residents against venturing outdoors, and advised them to keep their windows closed, wear masks outside and operate air purifiers at homes.
“PM2.5 concentration is currently 23.2 times the World Health Organization annual PM2.5 guideline value,” IQAir said regarding Lahore, capital of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province.
School children walk across a road amid dense smog in Lahore on October 31, 2025. (AFP)
Smog can cause sore throats, eye irritation and respiratory illnesses, while long-term exposure increases the risk of stroke, heart disease and lung cancer. The season begins in late October, peaks from November to January and lasts through February.
Lahore faces smog crisis each winter, which is exacerbated by crop residue burning, vehicle emissions and industrial pollution.
In response to the environmental crisis, Lahore’s transport authority has intensified its crackdown on polluting vehicles.
“We’ve inspected approximately 10,000 vehicles, impounded around 4,000, and issued over 7,000 challans (receipts of fines),” said Rana Mohsin, secretary of the Regional Transport Authority in Lahore.
The fines totaled around Rs90 million ($320,341) and about 150 police reports were registered against drivers of smoke-emitting vehicles in October alone, according to the official.
Authorities this month also began using anti-smog guns that spray mist in the air to reduce air pollution in the city.
Khalid Mehboob, a Lahore resident, expressed concern for his children and the elderly, saying they suffer the most during the smog season.
“Smog engulfs us... largely because of our own actions, crop burning, brick kiln emissions and vehicle smoke,” he told Reuters.
— With input from Reuters
