Lahore leads the list of the most polluted cities in the world with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 218 (very unhealthy) on Friday evening.
According to the data collected from the IQAir website on Friday at 06:13 pm, Karachi (Pakistan) ranked second with an AQI of 203 (very unhealthy), followed by Delhi (India) with an AQI of 183 (unhealthy).
The air quality in third to sixth-ranked cities is unhealthy and unhealthy for sensitive groups in seventh to ninth-ranked cities, while it is moderate in the tenth-ranked city.
Tashkent (Uzbekistan) is ranked in fourth place with an AQI of 179 (unhealthy), followed by Almaty (Kazakhstan) with an AQI of 165 (unhealthy).
Manama (Bahrain) is at fifth spot with an AQI of 152 (unhealthy), followed by Doha (Qatar) with an AQI of 135 (unhealthy for sensitive groups).
Dhaka (Bangladesh) is ranked in eighth place with an AQI of 105 (unhealthy for sensitive groups), followed by Wuhan (China) with an AQI of 102 (unhealthy for sensitive groups). Kuwait City (Kuwait) is in tenth place with an AQI of 98 (moderate).
Punjab’s plains, including Lahore, are experiencing a gradual increase in pollution levels, causing citizens to inhale toxic smog. Respiratory, eye and skin ailments are on the rise. No relief is in sight as this situation will likely persist due to stable atmospheric conditions and a lack of rain.
Health professionals have advised the public to take all possible measures to avoid smog-related health hazards. Extra care has been advised for children, the elderly and asthma patients. People are advised to avoid going outdoors unnecessarily. If unavoidable, wear masks and glasses while going outdoors.
