Lahore Tops Global Pollution Charts: An Alarming Smog Crisis

Despite efforts by Pakistan's provincial authorities to curb air pollution, Lahore has emerged as the world's most polluted city for the second time in a week. With a troubling AQI score of 208, the city faces an urgent need for effective measures to combat escalating environmental threats.

Lahore, Pakistan, has once again ranked as the world's most polluted city in a span of a week, underscoring the provincial government's insufficient handling of smog and air pollution. With an alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 208, Lahore topped the list, followed by New Delhi with 164.

The United States Embassy's local monitoring data depicted an even more distressing level of 252 AQI for Lahore, highlighting significant health risks for residents. The Express Tribune noted the troubling fact that this ranking occurred despite minimal traffic and closed educational institutions due to holidays, challenging earlier claims that largely blamed transportation for pollution.

Earlier, on October 12, Lahore recorded the worst air quality globally, ringing alarms among environmental officials about the premature onset of the smog season. Munawar Sabir from Punjab University insisted on immediate serious interventions from the government as Lahore risks escalating environmental degradation. Meanwhile, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has executed a multi-departmental mobilization to combat the worsening crisis.

(With inputs from agencies.)