Lahore second on global pollution index as Punjab smog builds

Lahore ranked second among the world's most polluted major cities on IQAir's live air quality tracker on Monday, with an Air Quality Index reading of 199, The Express Tribune reported, as pollution spread unevenly across Punjab ahead of the winter smog peak.

The paper said the city's position and its reading moved during the day. IQAir's Lahore page recorded an AQI of 139 at 3pm on 26 October, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) the main pollutant at 51 micrograms per cubic metre: a level classed as unhealthy for sensitive groups on the US AQI scale. Pakistan Today also carried the ranking of Lahore as second most polluted city.

Provincial monitoring painted a more mixed picture. According to Punjab Environmental Protection Agency data cited by the Express Tribune, Pakpattan recorded 210, Multan 204 and Sargodha 195, followed by Vehari at 178, Kot Addu 176, Dera Ghazi Khan 165, Khushab 160, Mandi Bahauddin 159, Sahiwal 158, Jhelum 157 and Attock 156. Lahore stood at 151, placing it 18th among 31 Punjab cities in that ranking, while Nankana Sahib recorded the lowest reading at 35.

A separate EPA post cited in the same report gave different figures for the day: a provincial average of 144, described as moderate, with Dera Ghazi Khan highest at 213, Talla Ganag lowest at 96 and Lahore at 178. The two sets of numbers appeared on the same day and do not agree; the Express Tribune did not explain the difference, and Skardu Times could not independently reconcile them.

An AQI of 151 falls in the unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups band on the US scale, while readings above 200 are classed as very unhealthy.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department's forecast issued on Monday predicted dry weather across most Punjab districts on Tuesday, with cold conditions in the morning and at night in hilly areas. Lahore's maximum temperature was forecast at 29°C to 31°C on Tuesday, with a similar range on Wednesday, and no rain was indicated for the provincial capital over the period.

The dry outlook means no rain-related relief is in sight for Lahore, though the paper noted that actual pollution levels will keep depending on changing atmospheric conditions and emissions, and that dry weather alone does not determine how the AQI will move.

As temperatures fall, the report said air quality remains a concern for residents, particularly children, older people and those with respiratory or heart conditions. Health experts advise reducing outdoor exertion when pollution is elevated and limiting the entry of polluted outdoor air into indoor spaces.