Lahore experienced a slight improvement in its air quality on Sunday, with its Air Quality Index (AQI) dropping to 295, moving out of the "hazardous" range. However, the city remains in the "very unhealthy" category, ranking as the second most polluted city globally, according to Swiss air quality monitoring group IQAir. The megacity, home to over 14 million residents, continues to grapple with the persistent smog crisis that has plagued Punjab. Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb declared a health emergency in Lahore and Multan, labeling the smog situation a national disaster. Other cities in Pakistan, including Multan (228), Peshawar (166), Rawalpindi (145), Islamabad (144), and Karachi (134), have also reported unhealthy to moderate AQI levels.

Source: The Nation November 17, 2024 16:52 UTC