Copyright pakobserver
LAHORE – Air quality across major Pakistani cities deteriorated sharply on Monday (October 27), with Faisalabad recording the worst pollution levels in the country and ranking as the city with the highest Air Quality Index (AQI⁺) reading at 558, indicating hazardous conditions. According to real-time AQI city rankings, Gujranwala followed with an AQI of 365, while Multan and Lahore posted readings of 318 and 308, respectively — all falling within the “very unhealthy” to “hazardous” categories. Other Punjab cities including Bahawalpur (249), Hundal (202), and Sialkot (192) also reported severely polluted air, highlighting the province’s worsening smog crisis. Outside Punjab, Peshawar recorded an AQI of 174, Kot Malik Barkhurdar in Balochistan stood at 172, and Karachi registered 162, all within unhealthy levels. Environmental experts warn that such extreme AQI readings pose serious health risks, particularly to children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions. The rising pollution levels coincide with the start of the winter season, when cooler temperatures and stagnant air often trap smog closer to the ground. Authorities have yet to announce emergency measures, but environmental activists are urging stricter emissions control, curbs on crop burning, and promotion of public transport to mitigate the worsening air quality crisis.
