'Unhealthy' air quality recorded
Smog hangs in the air around Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. PHOTO: ABID NAWAZ/EXPRESS
The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the provincial capital remained in the 'unhealthy' category on Sunday.
According to the IQAir data, Lahore's average AQI was reported 178, significantly exceeding safe limits, with PM2.5 concentrations reported to be 18.8 times higher than the WHO's annual air quality guideline.
The AQI readings from various city areas included Bedian Road (249), Polo Ground Cantt (227), WWF-Pakistan (198), Gulberg (189), University of Central Punjab (189), Ghazi Road Interchange (184), Lahore American School (180), Phase 8-DHA (177), Valencia Town (170), US Consulate (168), Johar Town (168), Askari 10 (164), and Shahrah Quaid-i-Azam (130).
Mostly dry and cold weather was forecast for Lahore, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) office.
In Lahore, the minimum temperature was 11°C, while the maximum reached 27°C.
Rain, wind and thunderstorms with snowfall over hilly areas are predicted in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, northern Balochistan, upper and central Punjab, and Islamabad.