LAHORE: Major cities across Pakistan are battling dangerously high levels of air pollution, signaling a severe public health and environmental crisis. According to the latest data from a global environmental monitoring website, Lahore, the provincial capital, was recently ranked as the world’s most polluted city, recording an alarming Air Quality Index (AQI) of 327.
The data underscored the severity of the crisis across the country, with Karachi also securing the second spot on the global pollution chart with an AQI of 282. These hazardous levels contribute directly to a rise in respiratory illnesses and related fatalities in the urban centers.
Figures released by the Punjab Environmental Protection Department indicated that within the province, Kasur recorded the highest pollution level, hitting an AQI of 348, closely followed by Gujranwala (341) and Sheikhupura (278).
The crisis has a tangible impact on infrastructure and daily life. Visibility has been severely compromised due to dense smog and fog, compelling authorities to temporarily close critical segments of the Motorway, including M-1 (from Peshawar to Burhan) and M-5 (from Zahir Peer to Shershah), disrupting national transportation and commerce.
