Pakistan has been ranked as the third most polluted country in the world for 2024, according to an annual report by Swiss air technology organization IQAir. Chad is literally topping the list, followed by Bangladesh, while Pakistan closely followed as pollution levels remained alarmingly high all over the country.
The report highlights that Pakistan endured one of its worst smog seasons ever this year, particularly in the province of Punjab, where the situation was highly declared a “calamity.” The severe air pollution led to nearly two million people looking for medical treatment for respiratory and other health-related issues. The government has implemented various measures in reaction to this, including temporary lockdowns and school closures, to curb the deteriorating air quality.
As per the findings of IQ air, the average concentration of PM2.5—tiny, harmful air particles stood at 73.7 micrograms per cubic meter for Pakistan. This is nearly 15 times higher than the safe limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The report also noted that despite record-breaking smog levels, Average pollution level of Pakistan remained unchanged from 2023.
Read more: Lahore has built Pakistan’s first air purifier tower to battle smog
Pakistan is securing second rank in terms of air pollution, just behind Bangladesh. Cities such as Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, and Sialkot were among the 15 most polluted cities in the central and south Asian region. Lahore, in particular, continued to endure with worsening air quality, frequently recording pollution levels far beyond the limits that are actually acceptable by the environment and the living things staying in it.
The persistent pollution crisis of PK is escalating due to the various factors, report claimed, such as
- Unchecked industrial activities
- Vehicular emissions, brick kilns
- Biomass burning
- Construction dust
The highly affecting cities are Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, all of these seen a significant rise in their pollution levels as contrasted to the previous year.
Meanwhile, Karachi was the only major city where air quality has shown a little bit improvement, with PM2.5 levels dropping from over 55 μg/m³ in 2023 to around 46 μg/m³ in 2024.
One of the most worrying findings in the report was that during November, nearly 5 Pakistani cities had faced PM2.5 levels surpassing 200 μg/m³, and this is depicting dangerously unhealthy air quality. The study, which evaluated data from over 40,000 air quality evaluation stations in 138 countries, also unveiled that about 70% of population of Pakistan highly encountering serious from health issues like breathing issues due to constant smog exposure.
On a global scale, Chad had encountered the highest pollution levels, with PM2.5 concentrations 18 times over WHO’s safe threshold. India, which has ranked 5th in the report, continued to struggle with severe air pollution, with six of the nine most polluted cities of the World located within its borders.
Byrnihat, an industrial hub in India, was named the most polluted metropolitan area in the world for 2024, while New Delhi retained its title as the most polluted capital city.
Interestingly, despite the worsening pollution condition in several parts of the globe, the report noted some positive trends.
In 2024, 17% of the cities studied has shown alignment with the recommended air quality standards of World Health Organization, a remarkable improvement from just 9% in 2023. The cleanest air in the world was found in Oceania, where 57% of cities adhered to WHO’s PM2.5 guidelines. Countries such as
- Iceland
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Estonia
The air pollution crisis is escalating at a fast pace, and it is a global phenomenon and everyone work together to present a solution for it. Another study is revealing, the “State of Global Air 2024” report, estimated that air pollution—both atmospheric and household—was answerable and accountable for the premature deaths occurred back in 2021, those premature deaths were more than 8.1 million.
Pollution graph is rising on daily basis, and it is posing various environmental issues that have led to health issues.
There is a dire need to take steps urgently by Pakistan, including
- Stricter emission regulations
- Sustainable urban planning
- Investment in cleaner energy sources
Without immediate intervention, the health and well-being of millions of Pakistanis will remain at high risk, and the country’s ranking on the global pollution index may continue to worsen in the years to come.