Pakistan's Lahore ranked world's most polluted city

ISLAMABAD — Lahore has been ranked at the top of global pollution charts with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of more than 450, according to the Swiss air quality monitor IQAir, local media reported on Wednesday.

Lahore, with an AQI of 452, was ranked in the first spot among the most polluted cities of the world on Wednesday, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported. Karachi, with an AQI of 179, was ranked at the ninth spot among the most polluted cities of the world.

Air pollution in Pakistan has become one of the most pressing environmental crises faced by the country in the past few years. Various cities of Pakistan, especially Lahore, deal with smog, particularly in the winter months, and this is caused by industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, stubble burning and air movement.

On Tuesday, the platform issued an air quality alert for Pakistan as major cities experienced "unhealthy" to "hazardous" levels of air pollution. At the time, Lahore had an AQI of 501 while Karachi ranked at the sixth spot among the most polluted cities of the world with an AQI of 178 on Tuesday.

In the alert, the platform stated, "Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, wear masks when outside, and use air purifiers indoors."

Meanwhile, a thick layer of smog continued to cover the majority of parts of Pakistan's Punjab on January 17, resulting in air quality rising to hazardous levels in several districts. Punjab recorded an average AQI of 200 during the morning-to-afternoon monitoring period on January 17, according to data released by the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pakistan's another leading daily, The Express Tribune, reported.

Several districts recorded more AQI, with Muzaffargarh at the top of the list with an AQI of 291, followed by Rahim Yar Khan at 279 and Lahore at 274, all placed as ‘very unhealthy’. Other areas also reported higher pollution levels as Gujrat recorded an AQI of 214 while Khanewal had at 204.