Karachi’s air quality declared ‘very unhealthy’ for first time

As smog continues to blanket various parts of the country amid a worsening pollution crisis, Karachi’s air quality dropped to “very unhealthy” for the first time.

The port city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 212 , placing it at the top of the global pollution rankings by Swiss air monitoring organization IQAir.

At around 9:20 a.m., the concentration of toxic PM2.5 particles in Karachi’s air was 27.4 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended safe levels.

This marked the first instance where the city’s air quality breached the “very unhealthy” threshold of 200 on the AQI scale, though briefly. However, a slight improvement later saw the AQI drop to 194.

IQAir attributes Karachi’s air pollution to factors such as the large number of vehicles, the burning of waste, and emissions from factories.

In the meantime, Lahore ranked as the world’s second-most polluted city, with an AQI of 298 — just below the “hazardous” category. New Delhi, India, claimed the top spot for global air pollution.

Punjab continues to grapple with severe smog, with Lahore frequently appearing among the world’s most polluted cities over the past two months. While there have been periodic improvements in AQI readings, the city remains engulfed in persistent smog, posing serious health risks for residents.

During winter, emissions from vehicles and factories, combined with the seasonal burning of crop residue, trap pollutants due to colder temperatures and stagnant winds, creating a toxic air blanket over Punjab.

The WHO has warned that prolonged exposure to polluted air can lead to severe health issues, including strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses.