Smog risk from fireworks highlighted

LAHORE:

The provincial capital climbed to the second spot among the world's most polluted cities on Sunday morning, while the pollution level in Faisalabad and Kasur surpassed it in the evening.

According to the global monitoring organisation IQAir, the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 209, placing it just behind New Delhi, which topped the list with an AQI of 218.

The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that wind blowing from the east had contributed to worsening smog conditions across Lahore. Experts warned that the air quality could deteriorate in the coming days due to fireworks during Diwali celebrations.