Pakistan woke up to another day under a grey haze as Lahore and Karachi ranked among the world’s five most polluted cities, according to air-quality monitoring platform IQAir. Lahore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) touched 234 — labelled “very unhealthy” — while Karachi recorded 182, falling in the “unhealthy” range. Experts warn the situation could worsen as seasonal smog thickens in the weeks ahead.
Highlights
- Lahore is now the second most polluted city globally, trailing only New Delhi.
- PM2.5 levels in Lahore are 31 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) limit; Karachi’s are 20 times higher.
- Smog is caused by vehicle exhaust, factories, crop-burning, and stagnant winter air.
- Authorities deploy anti-smog guns, water sprinklers, and make arrests for open burning.
- WHO says 256,000 Pakistanis die annually due to air-pollution-related diseases.
What’s really happening
Every winter, cooler temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, turning ordinary fog into “smog.” In Lahore, fine dust from construction, traffic jams, and burning crop residue mixes with industrial smoke. Karachi faces similar challenges, with vehicle exhaust and coastal humidity locking in dirty air. These tiny PM2.5 particles are invisible killers — small enough to reach the lungs and bloodstream, leading to asthma, heart disease, and even cancer.
Lahore’s skies are turning grey again, topping the list of cities with the poorest air quality.
We’re seeing the same pattern as last year, where poor air sets the stage for the heavy smog season ahead.
Every year, as temperature inversion, transport emissions, industrial… pic.twitter.com/a1kMFlh8JK
— WWF-Pakistan (@WWFPak) October 14, 2025
Can it be fixed?
Experts say the problem is man-made — and so is the solution. On a personal level, residents can:
- Limit car use and prefer carpooling or public transport,
- avoid burning waste,
- plant trees and maintain greenery,
- Keep windows closed and use air purifiers or masks on high-pollution days.
At a policy level, urban planners call for stricter vehicle-emission standards, cleaner fuel, better waste management, and regional coordination with India to tackle cross-border smoke.
Remarkable success in our environmental efforts.
Following CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s directive, the first anti-smog gun operation in Kahna, Lahore, has reduced the Air Quality Index (AQI) from 666 to 170. This 70% decrease in air pollution has been scientifically analyzed &… pic.twitter.com/PMqgWDvXlE
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) October 18, 2025
As anti-smog guns roar along Lahore’s Canal Road, the bigger fight remains in policymaking rooms — to ensure that Pakistan’s cities breathe freely again.
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