October pollution less than last year

City experiences 16 consecutive days of unhealthy air

LAHORE:

Air pollution in Lahore declined by 21 per cent in October as compared to the same month last year, but levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) remained above Pakistan's prescribed limit on all 30 days, according to a report by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI).

The city experienced 16 consecutive days of unhealthy air quality, while daily PM2.5 concentrations remained above the national standard throughout the month.

The report attributed part of the decline in pollution to favourable weather conditions, noting that data from the past nine years did not indicate a consistent improvement in air quality.

The average PM2.5 concentration in Lahore stood at 100.5 micrograms per cubic metre against Pakistan's permissible limit of 35 micrograms. The average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 174.

The air quality remained unhealthy or worse from October 16 to 31.

October 23 was the most polluted day, with the PM2.5 concentration reaching 183.5 micrograms, while October 12 was the cleanest day.

The report showed that the average PM2.5 concentration in October last year was 127.4 micrograms per cubic metre, compared to 100.5 this year, representing a decline of around 21 per cent.

Favourable weather conditions contributed to the improvement. Wind speeds were 35% higher than last year.

The report estimated that weather factors reduced pollution levels by approximately 22%.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif stated in a social media post that last month was Lahore's cleanest October in the past five years. She said the average US AQI stood at 180.5, compared to 204.6 in 2025 and 213 in 2024.

The chief minister also noted that, for the first time in five years, an AQI above 300 had been recorded on no day during the month.

She attributed the improvement to the use of technology, environmental monitoring, coordination among government departments and enforcement of environmental regulations.

However, the PAQI report ranked October 2026 as the eighth most polluted October in the past nine years.

It also noted that pollution carried by winds from outside Lahore, along with smoke from fires along their path, contributed to the city's air pollution.

While pollution declined during the month, Lahore's air quality remained hazardous to public health.