Lahore has once again secured the grim title of the most polluted city globally, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to a staggering 708. The PM2.5 levels reached a dangerous 431 µg/m³, an alarming 86 times above the World Health Organization’s recommended annual limit.

The city’s pollution crisis, attributed to unchecked vehicular emissions, outdated industrial practices, and ineffective environmental policies, has led to a dangerous smog that persists year-round, signaling systemic environmental mismanagement. Private air quality monitors recorded even higher AQI levels, peaking at 953 in Gulberg.

Despite the dire situation, the secretary of the Environment Protection and Culture Change Department (EPCCD) dismissed private readings as unreliable, while acknowledging a significant gap in research regarding smog sources. The Punjab government has announced plans to enhance monitoring, but delays and a lack of enforcement of environmental regulations continue to put millions at risk, highlighting a critical failure in governance and public health oversight.

(Inputs from ANI)