Karachi and Lahore were ranked among the world’s 10 most polluted cities on Tuesday, with air quality levels reaching the “unhealthy” category, according to global air monitoring data.
Figures published by IQAir at 11:42am showed Delhi topping the list with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 220, classified as very unhealthy. It was followed by Kolkata with an AQI of 215, also in the very unhealthy range.
Cairo ranked third with an AQI of 184, while Kathmandu placed fourth at 179, both categorised as unhealthy.
Karachi ranked fifth globally, recording an AQI of 177, followed by Dhaka at 174. Lahore placed eighth, with an AQI reading of 166.
Hangzhou ranked seventh with an AQI of 166, while Tehran followed in ninth place at 165. Mumbai completed the top ten with an AQI of 163, narrowly ahead of Shanghai, which recorded 162.
According to IQAir classifications, air quality in the top two cities fell within the very unhealthy range. Cities ranked third to 16th were categorised as unhealthy, while air quality in cities ranked 17th to 28th was deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Health experts warn that prolonged exposure to such pollution levels can increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, particularly among children, the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions.
