Summary The deterioration came amid concerns over smoke from Diwali fireworks in Indian Punjab
LAHORE (Dunya News) - Lahore remained the world’s most polluted major city on Monday as its Air Quality Index (AQI) surged to 590, with a separate hourly reading reaching 647, according to IQAir.
The live global ranking placed Lahore at the top, followed by Ulaanbaatar (177), Delhi (174), Kolkata (173) and Sarajevo (170).
Several areas of Lahore recorded hazardous pollution levels, with Allama Iqbal Town reporting an AQI of 1,033, CERP Office 864 and Burki Road Paragon 748.
Other Punjab cities also experienced hazardous air quality, including Raiwind (688), Multan (655) and Faisalabad (600).
The deterioration came amid concerns over smoke from Diwali fireworks in Indian Punjab, crop-residue burning and easterly winds carrying polluted air towards Lahore.
However, satellite data also indicates significant agricultural fire activity within Pakistani Punjab, making local emissions another major concern.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) said it had intensified its crackdown on stubble burning, deploying drones, specialised night squads and firefighting teams across agricultural areas.
The provincial government expects pollution levels to remain high on November 9 and 10, with some improvement likely from November 11.
