Pakistan Among World's Most Polluted Countries, Ranks 3rd Globally in 2024 as Smog Crisis Deepens

Islamabad: Pakistan has been ranked the third most polluted country in the world in 2024, as it faced an unprecedented smog crisis that severely impacted public health, according to a new air quality report.

Pakistan Among Top Three Most Polluted Nations

The 2024 World Air Quality Report by Swiss air technology company IQAir placed Pakistan behind Chad and Bangladesh in global pollution rankings. The Democratic Republic of Congo and India followed in fourth and fifth place, respectively, according to a report by Dawn.

The report highlighted that Pakistan’s average concentration of PM2.5—fine particulate matter harmful to human health—was 73.7 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³), nearly 15 times above the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) safe limit.

Smog Crisis Declared a Calamity in Punjab

Pakistan experienced record levels of smog in 2023, especially in Punjab, where authorities declared the situation a “calamity.” Nearly two million people required medical attention due to pollution-related illnesses. In response, the government imposed lockdowns and shut down schools in the worst-affected areas.

Despite the worsening smog, Pakistan’s overall air pollution levels remained unchanged from 2023, the report noted.

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Lahore, Multan, Peshawar Among Worst-Hit Cities

Within Central and South Asia, Pakistan ranked second behind Bangladesh, with several of its cities listed among the most polluted. Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, and Sialkot were among the 15 worst-affected cities in the region.

The report identified multiple causes for Pakistan’s persistently high pollution levels, including biomass burning, industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, brick kilns, and construction dust.

Rising Pollution in Major Cities

Compared to 2023, annual pollution levels worsened in Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore, while Faisalabad recorded a slight increase. However, Karachi saw some improvement, with PM2.5 levels dropping from over 55 μg/m³ in 2023 to around 46 μg/m³ in 2024.

The report further revealed that five Pakistani cities recorded PM2.5 levels exceeding 200 μg/m³ in November 2023, a dangerously high concentration.

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Health Crisis Due to Smog

A separate survey by international research firm Ipsos found that around 70% of Pakistan’s population suffered from health issues due to smog, raising serious concerns about the country’s air quality crisis.

With pollution levels continuing to rise, environmental experts have called for urgent policy action to tackle the worsening air quality and protect public health.