Punjab Cities Choke Under Smog: Lahore Hits AQI 530

Smog has engulfed several cities in Pakistan's Punjab province, with Lahore recording the worst air quality in the world on Monday. The city's AQI reached 530, and its fine particulate matter level rose to 343 micrograms per cubic metre.

In the global ranking for the period between 9 am and 10 am on Monday, Lahore came first, while Cairo was in second place with an AQI of 226. Several Punjab cities were also listed among the most polluted urban centres in the country.

The picture across the province is alarming. Gujranwala stood at 475, Faisalabad at 435, Multan at 280 and Sialkot at 241. Bahawalpur ranked seventh with an AQI of 180. The decline in air quality has coincided with a sharp increase in incidents of crop residue being set on fire.

A new national report on air pollution in Pakistan paints a grim picture of its impact. Air pollution is estimated to shorten life expectancy by about 3.9 years and to be responsible for roughly 1,28,000 premature deaths annually. The report also says pollution imposes an economic burden equal to 6.5 per cent of gross domestic product.

The study offers Pakistan its first systematic, multi-sector emissions inventory. It examines pollution patterns in Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Peshawar, identifies key emission sources in each city and describes steps that could cut emissions by up to 50 per cent.

The analysis focuses on carbon dioxide, PM2.5, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide, and examines emissions across four urban airsheds. It found that Lahore's annual average PM2.5 concentration is over 110 micrograms per cubic metre, more than 22 times the World Health Organization's annual guideline of five micrograms per cubic metre. Long-term exposure at this level could reduce life expectancy for the city's residents by seven years.

In Lahore, transport is the single largest source of primary PM2.5 emissions. Industry accounts for 28 per cent and brick kilns for 17 per cent. Winter conditions add to the problem by holding pollutants close to the ground, making the crisis more difficult to manage.