WEB DESK: South Asia’s ongoing smog emergency has reached alarming new heights, with Lahore and New Delhi again topping the list of the world’s most polluted cities. Millions of residents are enduring hazardous air conditions that continue to worsen with each passing day.
On Saturday morning, data from Swiss air quality tracker IQAir placed Lahore at the top of the global pollution rankings, registering a hazardous Air Quality Index (AQI) of 388 at 9:43 a.m. New Delhi followed closely behind at 293, signalling dangerously unhealthy conditions across the region.
The suffocating haze fueled by vehicle emissions, industrial waste, crop residue burning, and stagnant weather — has blanketed both cities, reducing visibility and triggering widespread respiratory distress. Shanghai and Karachi ranked third and fourth globally with AQIs of 205 and 199, further underscoring the scale of the regional crisis.
However, within half an hour, the situation shifted dramatically. By 10:15 a.m., New Delhi surged to the top with an alarming AQI of 456, overtaking Lahore, which dropped slightly to 332, though its air remained “hazardous.” Lahore’s main pollutant fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was measured at 241 µg/m³, nearly 48 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended annual limit.
Elsewhere, air quality continued to deteriorate. Karachi’s AQI rose to 231 (“very unhealthy”), while Gujranwala reported an extreme 431 AQI, with PM2.5 levels over 61 times the WHO threshold. Faisalabad also faced severe pollution, recording 337 AQI and PM2.5 concentrations 49 times the safe limit.
According to Punjab’s Environment Department, polluted easterly winds from India are contributing to Lahore’s smog, compounding the effects of local emissions. “The average AQI in Lahore is expected to stay between 320 and 360, though improvement is likely between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.,” the department noted in its advisory.
The toxic haze has not only endangered health but also disrupted transportation. Dense fog forced the temporary closure of the M-1 Motorway between Peshawar and Rashakai, though it was later reopened as visibility improved. Authorities have urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to reduce accident risks during low-visibility conditions.
Environmental and health experts warn that prolonged exposure to such polluted air can lead to strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic respiratory issues. The smog season, coinciding with the onset of winter, traps pollutants near the ground as cooler temperatures and stagnant air prevent dispersion.
As Lahore and other Punjab cities remain cloaked in a grey haze, the crisis serves as a stark reminder of South Asia’s growing environmental challenge one that demands urgent policy action and public cooperation to safeguard health during this critical period.
