Overview
- Lahore recorded an Air Quality Index of 452 on Wednesday, the worst in the world and firmly in the hazardous range, according to IQAir.
- IQAir issued a nationwide alert urging people to limit outdoor activity, while officials advised keeping windows closed, wearing masks and using air purifiers.
- Karachi ranked ninth globally with an AQI of 179, highlighting the breadth of Pakistan’s urban air crisis beyond Lahore.
- Punjab’s reliance on anti‑smog fog cannons drew renewed criticism after spending exceeding Rs675 million, with studies calling the tactic short‑lived and noting water use of up to 360,000 litres per unit per day.
- Citizen networks have expanded monitoring to fill gaps—PAQI now runs about 150 devices and helped spur 44 provincial stations—while a 2024 lawsuit seeks cleaner fuels, as PM2.5 levels far exceed WHO limits and pollution costs were estimated by the World Bank to reach 230,000 premature deaths and nine percent of GDP in 2019.