Lahore, October 29, 2025: Lahore continued to top the list of the world’s most polluted cities on Wednesday, according to global air quality monitor IQAir, as the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) remained at “hazardous” levels.
The Punjab capital’s AQI, which had peaked at 422 on Tuesday, dropped slightly to 341 — still categorized as hazardous and far above safe limits. Other major cities on the IQAir list included New Delhi (232), Beijing (222), Kinshasa (155), Kathmandu (155), and Karachi (140).
Taking notice of the deteriorating air quality, the Punjab government has issued a high alert and revised school timings across the province, directing classes to begin at 8:35am.
The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has launched a large-scale anti-smog operation, deploying 16 mechanical washers, 50 regular washers, and 400 workers for road washing and water sprinkling to reduce dust emissions.
Punjab’s Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb lauded Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s leadership in tackling the smog crisis, describing her efforts as “a testament to the success of the vision of improving the environment.”
“In the coming years, Punjab will see improvements like Beijing,” she said, adding that the measures taken to curb smog had begun changing the mindset of farmers regarding crop residue burning.
According to the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), this year’s environmental violations index reached 294. The minister said that action is underway against industrial plants contributing to air pollution.
