LAHORE: Lahore was ranked the most polluted city in the world on a global air quality ranking, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 179. The reading came as the provincial capital’s weather began turning, with sunny mornings giving way to cooler, breezier nights.
Pollution levels in several neighbourhoods were a cause for concern. Model Town recorded an AQI of 211, Paragon City 197 and Iqbal Town 190. DHA Phase 5 stood at 171, Chaman Park at 165, Burki Road at 162 and Bedian Road at 160.
On the widely used AQI scale, readings from 151 to 200 fall in the “unhealthy” category, where the general public may begin to feel effects. Readings from 201 to 300 are classified as “very unhealthy.” Model Town’s 211 therefore crossed into the more serious band.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the current temperature in Lahore was recorded at 29°C. The minimum is expected at 24°C and the maximum at 34°C.
Wind speed was recorded at 3 km/h. Humidity stood at 68 per cent in an earlier reading and 65 per cent in a later one. Experts expect winds of 3 to 5 km/h today and say the sense of mugginess and heat will remain relatively low.
There is no chance of rain in the city for now, and the weather is expected to stay dry.
Light winds are a key reason pollution builds up at this time of year. When air barely moves, particulate matter from vehicles, construction, industry and burning stays close to the ground instead of dispersing. Without rain to wash the air, concentrations can climb day after day.
The coming weeks mark the run-up to the smog season, which typically peaks between late October and January. Lahore’s air sits within a wider regional airshed shared across the plains of Punjab on both sides of the border. Seasonal crop-residue burning and winter temperature inversions across this region affect the city regardless of local measures.
The Punjab government has intensified pre-emptive action this year. Environmental authorities have credited recent anti-smog steps with improvements in air quality earlier this month.
Children, older residents, pregnant women and people with asthma, heart or lung conditions should limit strenuous outdoor activity, especially in the early morning and late evening. Keeping windows closed during high-pollution hours and wearing a well-fitted mask outdoors can reduce exposure.
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