Near-still winds and high humidity trap smog over the city as readings climb into the ‘very unhealthy’ range, weeks before the usual peak of the season
LAHORE: Lahore was ranked the world’s most polluted city on Thursday, with its overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 294 and one neighbourhood, Allama Iqbal Town, recording 342, a level classed as hazardous.
Readings across the day placed the city between 265 and 294, well inside the “very unhealthy” band of 201 to 300, where health warnings apply to the entire population. The jump is sharp: on Tuesday, Lahore stood fifth in global rankings with an AQI of 157.
Weather is doing much of the damage. The Meteorological Department recorded winds of just 2 to 3 kilometres an hour and humidity of 70% to 74%, conditions that allow pollutants to settle near the ground instead of dispersing. Temperatures ranged from a low of 19 degrees Celsius to an expected high of 31 degrees, and forecasters said the smog was likely to persist.
Neighbourhood by neighbourhood
At the peak, Allama Iqbal Town registered 342 and Barki Road, on the eastern edge near the border, 334. Model Town recorded 281, Bedian Road 264 and Askari X 200.
Earlier readings in the day showed a different spread, with Model Town the most affected at 260, followed by Defence at 257, Allama Iqbal Town at 250 and Paragon City at 248, as morning sunshine broke through the haze.
The gap between localities reflects traffic density, construction, industrial activity and how quickly air moves through each area. Residential areas next to major roads and open land on the city’s fringes have consistently been among the worst performers this autumn.
What the numbers mean for health
An AQI above 200 means everyone may experience health effects, and above 300 the risk rises to emergency levels. Doctors advise residents, especially children, older people and those with asthma or heart conditions, to stay indoors where possible, keep windows shut, wear N95-type masks outdoors and avoid outdoor exercise.
Lahore’s fine particulate matter has repeatedly measured many times the World Health Organization’s annual guideline this month. On October 2, IQAir reported PM2.5 concentrations at 15.2 times the WHO limit when the city’s AQI was only 167.
Where the smoke comes from
The provincial government has long argued that a substantial share of Lahore’s winter smog drifts across the border from India, where farmers burn paddy stubble after the harvest. Indian Punjab recorded 174 stubble-burning cases by October 13, about 38% more than at the same point last year, with most in Amritsar and Tarn Taran, districts a short distance from Lahore. The count typically rises steeply in late October and November, when winds from the east and north-east carry smoke towards the city.
Local sources matter too. A study by Punjab’s Environment Protection and Climate Change Department and SUPARCO in late August found that fossil fuel combustion produced more than twice as much black carbon in Lahore as biomass burning, pointing to vehicles, industry and generators. That study was conducted before the crop-burning season, when the biomass share is lower.
Brick kilns, industrial units without emission controls, construction dust, waste burning and crop residue fires on the Pakistani side of the border add to the mix, while the city’s growing vehicle fleet is regarded by provincial officials as the largest steady contributor.
The government response
Punjab has moved earlier this year than in past seasons. The Environment Protection Agency banned dry road sweeping and open burning in September, and the province deployed thermal drones to track smog sources. By mid-September, more than 3,000 smoky vehicles had been fined and polluting kilns razed, while Safe City cameras flagged 1,327 smog violations in three days.
The province has since put union council secretaries on smog watch, and the cabinet this week approved electric trucks and anti-smog guns under an air-quality project. The expected severity of the season has even shaped politics: officials have weighed moving local government elections to April 2027 partly because of smog and fog.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said earlier this month that smog persists but has eased over the past three years. Thursday’s readings suggest the city faces another difficult winter, with the worst usually arriving in November.
Forecasters expect little relief until wind speeds pick up or rain arrives. Lahore topped global rankings with an AQI of 207 in late September and has risen sharply since. If the pattern of past years holds, the government will face pressure to reintroduce measures such as school closures, office work-from-home days and market timing restrictions as readings climb.
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