Lahore ranks 2nd, Karachi 4th most polluted city in world

LAHORE: Lahore ranked second most polluted city of the world and Karachi 4th in the list of most polluted big cities across the globe on Wednesday, ARY News reported.

Multan ranked 1st in Pakistan among the most polluted cities with 324 Air Quality Index reading today. Lahore with 305 AQI reading ranked second in Pakistan.

Peshawar ranked third on the polluted air list while Karachi on 4th, Rawalpindi 5th and Islamabad on 6th number in the country.

Punjab has recently passed through a very high level of air pollution and smog with the onset of winter. Provincial authorities made desperate efforts to contain smog in cities. The province grappling with severe air pollution, which have soared to alarming levels, affecting public health.

Lahore consistently ranked top among the most polluted cities globally, prompting urgent action from authorities.

For days, Lahore has been enveloped by smog, a mix of fog and pollutants caused by low-grade diesel fumes, smoke from seasonal agricultural burning and winter cooling.

Air pollution level in Lahore once soared to more than 80 times over the level deemed acceptable by the World Health Organization (WHO), AFP said in a report.

The government closed schools and restricted timing of eateries, other businesses and markets to save general public from the adverse impact of toxic pollution and health problems.