Lahore: Lahore once again ranked as the world’s most polluted city on Wednesday as its average AQI reached 205, with several areas recording hazardous levels above 450. Data from IQAir showed PM2.5 concentrations were 25.9 times higher than the WHO’s annual guideline, highlighting the severity of the smog gripping the provincial capital.
Highly polluted areas included multiple phases of DHA, the Civil Secretariat, Bedian Road, Allama Iqbal Town, Cantonment localities, Barki Road, Johar Town and Askari 10. Thick smog continued to blanket the city, reducing visibility and causing widespread health concerns among residents.
Meteorological officials said continental air was prevailing across much of the country, with a shallow westerly wave expected to approach the upper regions. They predicted cloudy weather in upper Punjab, Kashmir, KP and Gilgit-Baltistan, with smog and patchy fog likely to persist in the plains.
Amid worsening air quality, Punjab intensified its environmental enforcement drive. Since March 2024, authorities have demolished 2,575 illegal polluting units and registered 4,002 FIRs against violators, including brick kilns and industrial units lacking environmental safeguards.
The Environment Protection Department also reported extensive anti-smog efforts, with mobile mist guns covering nearly 55,000 kilometres of Lahore’s road network. Meanwhile, the Quick Response Unit has extinguished stubble-burning fires across hundreds of acres using satellite alerts, with strict action taken against farmers involved in crop-residue burning.