Air quality crisis: Lahore tops global pollution charts

The most polluted city in the world on Thursday, November 14, was Lahore in eastern Pakistan, which has a population of 14 million, according to data from IQAir, which collects and publishes information on air pollution worldwide.

In Lahore, the pollution index exceeded 1,100. The WHO considers levels above 180 to be hazardous to health.

According to IQAir data, Delhi in India came in a close second, with an AQI index surpassing 580.

Visibility at the international airport in Delhi dropped to 985 feet that day. Even the day before, some flights were operating in nearly zero visibility. According to data from Flightradar24, as many as 88% of departures and 54% of arrivals on November 13 were delayed.

Local officials explained that the causes of the toxic fog include air pollution, high humidity, weak winds, and a drop in temperature. Unfortunately, the air is so dense that popular tourist attractions in the country are barely visible. Among the smog-covered sites are the 17th-century Taj Mahal in Agra and the Golden Temple—the main Sikh sanctuary—in Amritsar.

This smog is not just a problem for sightseeing or travel; it primarily threatens health and the environment. Indian doctors are raising alarms about the increasing number of patients suffering from coughs, colds, and severe asthma attacks. The Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences recorded an increase in field fires from 1,200 on November 11 to 2,300 two days later.

The thick smog on the India-Pakistan border is visible in satellite images published by NASA on Monday. The highest air quality index was recorded on November 9 in the Pakistani city of Multan, where it reached 2,316.

An AQI value of 0–50 is considered good. Health hazards are noted at levels of 400–500. Values above 800 are classified as deadly.