Islamabad, October 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Lahore was ranked the world’s most polluted city on Thursday, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 419, as a report highlighted the severe health and economic consequences of air pollution in Pakistan. According to the assessment, polluted air reduces life expectancy in the country by an estimated 3.9 years and contributes to approximately 128,000 premature deaths annually.
According to IQAir’s global ranking for the period between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on October 29, Lahore topped the list with an AQI of 419, followed by Cairo in Egypt at 274. Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, ranked eighth with an AQI of 165, Dawn reported.
The Punjab government’s air quality monitoring dashboard also showed hazardous pollution levels in several cities across the province, with Kasur recording the highest level on the provincial list. Nankana Sahib recorded an AQI of 261, followed by Hafizabad at 250, Sahiwal at 210, Sheikhupura at 205, Jhang at 203 and Rajanpur at 201.
Multan and Gujranwala each recorded an AQI of 194, while Bhakkar registered 186 and Vehari 181.
Meanwhile, a report by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI) estimated that air pollution reduces life expectancy in Pakistan by 3.9 years and contributes to around 128,000 premature deaths every year. It also estimated that pollution imposes an economic burden equivalent to 6.5 per cent of Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The report warned that prolonged exposure to polluted air could reduce life expectancy in Lahore by as much as seven years.
Titled “Unveiling Pakistan’s Air Pollution: A National Landscape Report on Health Risks, Sources, and Solutions,” the study presents Pakistan’s first harmonised, multi-sector emissions inventory, alongside a multi-city analysis of air quality. It examines pollution patterns in Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Peshawar, identifies the main emission sources in each city and outlines measures that could reduce emissions by up to 50 per cent, The Express Tribune reported.
The assessment covers carbon dioxide, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2), providing a sector-wise analysis of emissions across four urban airsheds.
According to the report, Lahore’s annual average PM2.5 concentration exceeds 110 micrograms per cubic metre, more than 22 times the World Health Organisation’s annual guideline of five micrograms per cubic metre. The study said prolonged exposure to such pollution levels could shorten life expectancy in Lahore by up to seven years.
Transport was identified as the largest source of primary PM2.5 emissions in Lahore, followed by industry, which accounts for 28 per cent, and brick kilns, responsible for 17 per cent, The Express Tribune reported.
These sources contribute significantly to the city’s particulate pollution, while winter weather conditions further aggravate the problem.
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