Air quality hits hazardous level

Weather forecast promises little relief for Lahore residents

LAHORE:

Pollution in Lahore and several other cities of Punjab surged to very unhealthy and hazardous levels on Thursday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) deep in the danger zone, prompting renewed health warnings and public concern.

According to the Punjab Environmental Protection Department (EPD), Lahore's average AQI stood at 278 between 8:00am and 3:00pm, placing the city in the "very unhealthy" category.

The highest readings were recorded at Government Teaching Hospital Shahdara (396), University of Engineering and Technology (343), Kahna Nau Hospital (327), and Lahore Waste Management Company (315), indicating widespread smog across the provincial capital.

Provincial data shows Lahore was not alone. An EPD report ranked Gujranwala as Punjab's most polluted city with an AQI of 318, followed by Lahore (278), Khanewal (275), Faisalabad (243), and Kasur (240) - all of which fall in the "very unhealthy" or "hazardous" range.

Global monitoring platform IQAir listed Lahore as the second most polluted city in the world on Thursday, reporting an average AQI of 237 — a level considered extremely harmful to human health.

Environmental experts warn that such readings fall deep within the hazardous zone, posing serious threats to residents - particularly children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or cardiac conditions. Prolonged exposure, they say, could lead to long-term respiratory damage and cardiovascular stress.

Health authorities have issued advisories urging people to minimise outdoor activities, wear N95-grade masks, and avoid unnecessary travel, especially in the early morning hours when smog density is highest. Schools and offices have been asked to adopt precautionary measures, while hospitals report a rise in patients with breathing difficulties.

Meteorological department officials attribute the worsening smog to stagnant weather conditions — light winds, low temperatures, and high humidity — that trap pollutants near the surface.