Islamabad, November 2026 : Lahore has emerged as the world's most polluted city, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 590 on Monday, as severe air pollution continued to affect several cities in Pakistan's Punjab province, according to local media reports.
According to IQAir's global air quality ranking for the period between 9 am and 10 am on Monday, Lahore occupied the top position, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported. The city's pollution level was more than three times that of the second-ranked city. IQAir's historical air quality graph also recorded an hourly reading of 647 for Lahore during the same period.
The pollution crisis was not limited to Lahore. Several other cities in Punjab were also experiencing hazardous air quality. IQAir's city-wise ranking for Pakistan placed Raiwind, Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan in the hazardous category, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem across the province.
The latest readings come amid growing concerns over the long-term health and economic consequences of air pollution in Pakistan. A report released in October by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI) estimated that air pollution reduces life expectancy in the country by an average of 3.9 years and contributes to approximately 128,000 premature deaths annually.
The report further stated that pollution imposes an economic burden equivalent to 6.5 per cent of Pakistan's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Lahore, prolonged exposure to polluted air could reduce life expectancy by as much as seven years.
Titled 'Unveiling Pakistan's Air Pollution: A National Landscape Report on Health Risks, Sources, and Solutions', the assessment presents the country's first harmonised, multi-sector emissions inventory and a comparative analysis of air quality across multiple cities. It examines pollution patterns in Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Peshawar, identifies major sources of emissions and outlines measures that could reduce pollution by up to 50 per cent, The Express Tribune reported.
The assessment covers major pollutants, including carbon dioxide, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2). It also provides a sector-wise analysis of emissions across four urban airsheds.
The findings underline the severity of Lahore's pollution levels. Its annual average PM2.5 concentration exceeds 110 micrograms per cubic metre, more than 22 times the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommended annual guideline of five micrograms per cubic metre.
Transport has been identified as the largest source of primary PM2.5 emissions in Lahore. Industry accounts for 28 per cent of these emissions, while brick kilns contribute another 17 per cent.
The combination of vehicular emissions, industrial activity and brick kiln pollution has made air quality a persistent challenge for the city. Winter weather conditions further aggravate the situation, allowing pollutants to accumulate and worsening exposure for residents.
The latest IQAir ranking has once again drawn attention to Pakistan's mounting air pollution crisis and the need for sustained action to address its major sources.
