Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, and Lahore record dangerously high AQI levels as smog from Indian Punjab worsens air quality across the province.
KARACHI: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Oct,25, 2025) Air pollution levels in Punjab have once again reached alarming heights, with several cities recording hazardous air quality indexes (AQI).
According to the latest data released on Saturday, Sheikhupura topped the list as the most polluted city in the province with an AQI of 257, followed by Faisalabad at 253 and Lahore at 241. Other affected cities include Gujranwala (208), Dera Ghazi Khan (167), Sargodha (151), Bahawalpur (143), Sialkot (139), Multan (132), and Rawalpindi (110).
Experts warn that an AQI above 200 is considered extremely hazardous to human health, while readings over 150 are unhealthy. Within Lahore, Safari Park was the most polluted area with an AQI of 339, followed by Burki Road (322), Multan Road (298), and Shahdara (220).
Authorities said polluted winds from eastern Punjab (India) have worsened air quality in central Punjab. The smog monitoring system predicts that the average AQI in the next 24 hours will remain between 220 and 240, mainly due to wind direction rather than local emissions.
Regional analysis indicates that smoke from industrial and agricultural areas in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Haryana—caused by the burning of crop residue—has reached Lahore, Faisalabad, and Sheikhupura, intensifying smog levels across the region.
