Lahore tops world's most polluted cities again with 'unhealthy' air
Lahore tops world’s most polluted cities again with ‘unhealthy’ air
Lahore most polluted city rankings have returned to an unwelcome top spot, with the Punjab capital once again leading the world’s most polluted cities on Friday morning. Air quality monitoring platform IQAir placed Lahore at number one with an air quality index (AQI) of 167, classified as “unhealthy”, as smog season tightens its grip on the city.
Dhaka followed closely at 164, with Cairo third at 158, according to the IQAir live tracker. Lahore was the only Pakistani city in the top 30 of the 125-city list. Karachi sat at 34th place with an AQI of 69, in the moderate band.
Lahore most polluted city: what the numbers show
According to IQAir, Lahore’s PM2.5 concentration is currently 15.2 times the World Health Organisation’s annual guideline value. PM2.5 refers to fine inhalable particles, with diameters of 2.5 micrometres and smaller, which IQAir describes as the greatest health threat among air pollution measures because the particles can enter the circulatory system and even the brain.
For Lahore residents, IQAir recommended avoiding outdoor exercise, keeping windows closed, wearing a mask outdoors and running an air purifier indoors.
Air pollution has become one of the most pressing public health crises facing Pakistan. Lahore deals with smog most years in the winter months, driven by industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, stubble burning and weather patterns that trap pollutants close to the ground.
Maryam Nawaz says smog is declining
In a televised address to senior officers in Lahore on Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the provincial government was making efforts to address environmental issues.
She said that for the past eight years, Lahore and parts of Punjab would undergo a “smog shutdown” in September and October. “For three years now — I won’t say there is zero smog, but — there is less smog,” she said.
The claim will be tested in the coming weeks. In January this year, Lahore was ranked the most polluted city in the world by IQAir with an AQI of 452. Earlier this week, a new analysis by the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service ranked Lahore among cities whose ground-level ozone was rated “extremely poor”.
FAQs
What was Lahore’s AQI on Friday?
Lahore recorded an AQI of 167 on Friday morning, classified as “unhealthy”, topping IQAir’s global ranking ahead of Dhaka (164) and Cairo (158).
Is Lahore the most polluted city in the world right now?
Yes, according to IQAir’s live tracker for Friday morning, October 2, 2026. Rankings shift through the day as conditions change.
What is causing smog in Lahore?
The main contributors are industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, stubble burning in surrounding farmland and seasonal weather that traps pollutants near the ground.
