Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, has topped global rankings of the most polluted major cities as hazardous smog continues to blanket the region.
The city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 358 on Wednesday night, 11 November. By Thursday morning, several other cities across Punjab were also reporting AQI readings above 500.
The worsening conditions have reduced visibility, disrupted road travel and raised concerns about the health effects of prolonged exposure to polluted air.
The scale of the crisis is also reflected in measurements of fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5. These tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and are associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
An assessment by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI) found Lahore’s average PM2.5 concentration reached 126 micrograms per cubic metre between 1 October and 9 November. That is around eight times the World Health Organization’s annual guideline of five micrograms per cubic metre.
Pakistan’s 24-hour national air quality standard was exceeded on all 40 days for which valid measurements were available.
The smog has multiple sources. Vehicle emissions, crop-residue burning, waste burning and industrial activity all contribute to the pollution.
A Punjab Urban Unit emissions inventory for 2020-21 attributed 35 per cent of Lahore’s PM2.5 emissions to transport, 33 per cent to crop-residue burning, 29 per cent to waste burning and three per cent to industry.
Satellite instruments detected 18,825 fires across Punjab between 1 October and 9 November. Around 89 per cent, or 16,714, were classified as likely crop-residue fires.
Weather conditions compound the problem. Cooler temperatures, weak winds and a lower atmospheric mixing layer restrict the dispersal of pollutants, allowing them to accumulate close to the ground.
Punjab authorities have also identified pollution travelling across the border from India. However, PAQI’s analysis found insufficient evidence to attribute Lahore’s pollution after Diwali to fireworks alone.
Authorities have stepped up efforts to tackle agricultural fires and reduce pollution hotspots. The Punjab Environment Protection Agency reported 679 agricultural fire incidents, of which 650 had been extinguished. Teams have used drones, night patrols and rapid-response units to identify and tackle fires.
Anti-smog guns and mist-spraying operations have also been deployed along designated routes. But these measures offer limited relief unless the sources of pollution are reduced.
A longer-term effort is under way through the Punjab Clean Air Programme, backed by a 300-million-dollar World Bank loan. It aims to reduce PM2.5 levels by 35 per cent over the next decade, with measures including 5,000 super seeders to manage crop residue and 600 electric buses.
The latest pollution readings underline the scale of the challenge. Lahore’s recurring winter smog cannot be addressed through emergency operations alone. Sustained reductions in emissions from transport, agriculture, industry and waste will be critical to improving the air quality.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 11 November. Today, we cover Russia-Ukraine peace talks, political tensions in Washington, strikes in Spain, espionage allegations involving Nvidia's CEO, and climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence, energy cooperation and economic resilience topping the agenda. Azerbaijan’s role in regional peace and connectivity was also in focus.
Iran has unveiled a new underground missile and drone base, warning that it will respond forcefully to any attack, as tensions persist with the U.S. and oil tankers continue to be struck by naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Uzbekistan has showcased its first artificial glacier project at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Türkiye, highlighting an innovative way to store winter water for use in warmer months as Central Asia grapples with worsening water shortages.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has allocated $10 million to reinforce the Afghan banks of the Amu Darya River, where erosion threatens farmland and homes, the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI) said after talks in Balkh on Tuesday.
Extreme heat is threatening agricultural production and food security in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, where increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves are disrupting farming, damaging livestock and reducing household incomes.
Global temperatures are projected to rise by up to 2.8°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100 under current climate policies, according to a United Nations report published on 21 October, raising concerns about the world's ability to meet international climate targets.
Cyclone Murasu struck India's eastern coast on Tuesday, bringing powerful winds and forcing thousands to evacuate, just a week after another deadly storm battered the region, the country's weather department said.
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