Lahore, Pakistan

Lahore, Pakistan, experiences some of the most severe air pollution globally, with PM2.5 levels during its winter smog often soaring to 40 times the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limits. The city's 13 million residents are exposed to hazardous air quality year-round, a situation exacerbated by factors like brick kilns and crop burning. During its most lethal season, the Air Quality Index (AQI) readings in Lahore have been observed to exceed 800. This level of pollution presents significant health challenges for the population, contributing to respiratory illnesses and other related conditions.