Lahore tops AQI list of most polluted cities, Karachi ranks third

Lahore's air quality remained alarmingly poor, with the city ranked as the most polluted in the world at the start of the week.

The particulate matter (PM) level in Lahore has been recorded at 275, placing it in the hazardous category. Multan follows closely with a PM level of 248, while Karachi, with a reading of 193, ranks third globally among the most polluted cities.

Experts warn that air quality indices between 151 and 200 are harmful to health, while levels from 201 to 300 are considered extremely hazardous. 

Karachi’s deteriorating air quality also poses health risks to residents, further adding to concerns about public safety in the city of Quaid.

Health experts advise the public to exercise caution, emphasising the use of masks and other protective measures to mitigate the harmful effects of pollution.

The deteriorating air quality prevailed due to the burning of crop waste in Pakistan and India.

The Punjab government said it had offered farmers alternatives to stubble burning, but Khalid Khokar, the president of the Farmer Association, refused the offer and said, “More than 10 million farmers live and work in Punjab, we need cheapest alternatives, for a while burning the crop is the cheapest.”

A report of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago stated that pollution is the biggest health threat in India and Pakistan, with residents of Dehli and Lahore losing years of life owing to its effects.