Lahore woke up on Monday to hazardous smog, with the air quality index (AQI) surging to 312 by evening, making the city the most polluted in the world.
Real time readings showed PM2.5 at 190.5 micrograms per cubic meter. More than 25 times the World Health Organization guideline, confirming a severe pollution emergency.
The air quality index Lahore map showed sharp differences across neighborhoods.
The City School, Allama Iqbal Town, hit an AQI of 505, Fauji Fertilizer Pakistan touched 525, and The City School Shalimar Campus reached 366 hazardous.
Calm winds near 0 km/h and around 50% humidity trapped pollutants near the ground, cutting visibility and aggravating respiratory symptoms.
Lahore smog: air quality index hits hazardous levels
Other Punjab cities also suffered.
Faisalabad peaked at AQI 439 and Multan at 438, while Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, and Sialkot recorded hazardous air.
Karachi ranked fourth worldwide with an AQI of 167, underscoring how widespread the pollution has become.
Officials warned residents to limit outdoor activity, particularly children, older people, and anyone with asthma or heart disease.
Doctors urged masks that filter PM2.5, closed windows during peak hours, and using air purifiers if affordable by the household.
Forecasters expect smog to thicken at night and morning, with relief between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm.
In response, the Punjab government activated anti smog squads in Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Gujranwala.
The EPA increased inspections of factories and brick kilns, and heavy fines are being issued for violations.
Authorities again pressed for alternatives to crop residue burning, a major seasonal driver of pollution alongside traffic and industrial emissions.
To protect students, new school timings apply from October 27, 2025, to April 15, 2026.
Single shift schools will run 8:45 am to 1:30 pm. (Fridays to 12:30 pm).
Double shift schools will operate 8:45 am to 1:30 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Parents should monitor daily AQI updates.
Lahore’s smog crisis is a public-health emergency, coordinated efforts are required from citizens and provincial government to limit air pollution in the city.
