Lahore records world’s worst air quality with AQI at 412 amid toxic smog

Lahore has once again topped the global pollution chart, recording the worst air quality in the world for three consecutive days, reported by ANI citing Dawn. The city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) hit an alarming 412 on Saturday, October 25, placing it in the “hazardous” category as a thick blanket of smog reduced visibility and triggered health alerts across Punjab. Environmental experts have described the situation as critical, warning that PM2.5 concentrations – the fine particulate matter most harmful to health – were many times higher than safe levels set by the World Health Organization.

Worst-affected neighbourhoods

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As per Dawn, Lahore’s Lower Mall recorded an AQI of 680 – among the highest anywhere in the world – followed by Iqbal Town (577), Syed Maratib Ali Road (543), Shadman (507), Punjab University area (506) and Shalimar (495).

Province-wide alert and crackdown

The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has declared a high alert across eastern districts including Lahore, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Khanpur. To strengthen monitoring, the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) has deployed drone cameras to identify violations in industrial and agricultural zones. In the last 24 hours, more than 460 smog-related offences were detected and over 200 e-challans issued to smoke-emitting vehicles. The data was shared in real time with enforcement departments for prompt action, Dawn reported.

“Smog is a serious environmental and public health issue that demands collective and coordinated efforts,” said Project Coordinator Younus Zahid, calling for community cooperation to curb the crisis.

Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said nine departments were conducting large-scale operations against smog. The Environmental Protection Department and enforcement teams, she added, were fully mobilised, with brick kilns under drone surveillance and field reports being shared live. Aurangzeb said anti-smog cannons and air-quality monitors had been deployed, while Punjab introduced AQI forecasting for the first time to predict and mitigate pollution spikes before they worsen.