Lahore has moved to 17th place in IQAir’s live ranking of the world’s major polluted cities, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 89, placing the city in the “moderate” category.
The latest reading indicates a temporary improvement in Lahore’s air quality compared with several other major cities. Lahore is currently recording cleaner air than Dubai, which stands at an AQI of 102, while Riyadh has an AQI of 99.
Experts suggest that recent weather conditions, rainfall and changes in wind patterns may have helped disperse pollutants and improve air quality.
Despite the improvement, pollution remains a concern for Lahore. Vehicle emissions, industrial activity and other urban pollution sources continue to contribute to poor air quality.
Authorities are also continuing anti-smog measures as the city approaches the winter season, when pollution levels can rise again.
Long-term improvements could depend on wider adoption of electric vehicles, cleaner and more efficient public transportation, better traffic management and stricter enforcement of vehicle and industrial emission standards.
Maintaining cleaner air will require consistent efforts beyond temporary weather-related improvements.
