ISLAMABAD: Pakistani cities of Lahore and Karachi ranked among the world’s most polluted city on Saturday morning, according to Swiss monitoring group IQAir, as dense smog blanketed the capital of the Punjab province and surrounding areas.
Lahore ranked the second most polluted city in the world with an air quality index of (AQI) of 191, categorized as unhealthy, at around 2:30pm on Saturday. Karachi, in the country’s south, ranked 11 worldwide, with an AQI of 119.
The development comes a day after the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) warned of a rise in smog levels in major cities in the coming days, citing stable and dry weather conditions.
“The rise in smog levels may trigger an increase in respiratory illnesses, asthma cases, and other pollution-related health problems,” the authority said.
“Vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing health conditions, are at high risk.”
