Lahore leads the list of the most polluted cities on the globe with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 406 (hazardous) on Wednesday.
According to the data collected from the IQ Air website on Wednesday at 01:12 pm, Beijing (China) ranked second with an AQI of 220 (very unhealthy), followed by Delhi (India) with an AQI of 213 (very unhealthy).
The air quality in fourth to sixth-ranked cities is unhealthy, while it is unhealthy for sensitive groups in seventh to tenth-ranked cities.
Kathmandu (Nepal) is ranked in fourth place with an AQI of 164 (unhealthy), closely followed by Baghdad (Iraq) and Karachi (Pakistan) with an AQI of 164 and 152, respectively (also unhealthy).
Dubai (United Arab Emirates) is ranked in seventh place with an AQI of 144 (unhealthy for sensitive groups), followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh) with an AQI of 134 (unhealthy for sensitive groups).
Wuhan (China) is ranked ninth, while Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) is in tenth place with an AQI of 132 and 129 (unhealthy for sensitive groups), respectively.
Lahore and most districts in Punjab are reeling under toxic smog for around two weeks with increasing intensity. This situation will likely persist due to stable atmospheric conditions and a lack of rain.
The air quality is deteriorating due to emissions from moving and stationary sources and stable atmospheric conditions. Health professionals have advised the public to take all possible measures to avoid smog-related health hazards.
As the smog intensity is likely to increase, it will be tough for the Punjab government to continue physical classes at schools and outdoor activities as per the normal routine.
