LAHORE: Pakistan was the second most polluted country in 2023, with its neighbours Bangladesh and India also topping the list of nations with extremely hazardous air quality, according to data published on Tuesday.

Lahore was the world’s fifth most polluted city, and most polluted mega city with pollution levels at 99.5 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m³), 20 times higher than WHO guidelines, according to ‘2023 World Air Quality Report’, published by IQAir, a Swiss air-monitoring organisation.

Pakistan’s annual average particulate matter (PM2.5) — small airborne particles that damage the lungs — concentration of 73.7 μg/m³ was only better than Bangladesh’s 79.9 μg/m³. India was the third most polluted country, with an average PM2.5 concentration of 54.4μg/m³.

The WHO recommends no more than 5μg/m³.

New data puts Lahore at fifth worst in terms of AQI; Pakistanis ‘losing 4.4 years’ due to pollution

Based on this data, a calculation by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI) showed that hazardous air quality is resulting in a life expectancy loss of 4.4 years.

Christi Chester Schro­eder, air quality science manager at IQAir, told Reuters that “pollution has nowhere to go” because of the climate conditions and geography in South Asia.

“On top of that are factors such as agricultural practices, industry and population density,” she added. “Unfortunately, it really does look like it will get worse before it gets better.”

The 2023 showed that air quality in Pakistan has further deteriorated from last year when the PM2.5 concentration was 70.9 µg/m3, according to IQAir.

Similarly, Bangladesh was ranked as having the fifth-worst air quality, and India was eighth last year.

Loss of life expectancy

According to the report, Lahore was the most polluted mega city. India’s Begusarai, Guwahati, Delhi and Mullanpur cities were above it in the list of cities with the worst air quality.

The pollution levels in Punjab’s capital were even worse than New Delhi, which was 92.7 μg/m³.

In a press release, PAQI said that data reported by Punjab’s Environmental Protection Department showed alarming levels of hazardous air pollution in Lahore at 108 μg/m³.

“Especially alarming are the pollution levels during the smog season, averaging 251 μg/m³ in November, underlying the need for urgent action.”

Other major Pakistani cities with the worst pollution were: Faisalabad (88.2), Peshawar (76.5), Rawalpindi (59.5), Karachi (56.4) and Islamabad (42.4).

“These dangerous levels of air pollution significantly contribute to multiple health issues in Pakistan, causing chest infections and lung cancer as well as worsening lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,” PAQI statement said while quoting Dr Saima Saeed, head of pulmonology and director of Lung Health Programme.

“Pakistan’s poor air quality makes other non-communicable diseases such as strokes, mental health issues and diabetes more likely. Air pollution is also known to affect fertility and the cognitive development of children.”

Dawar Hameed, the PAQI CEO, said Islamabad has gone up from 17th place to 9th in the list of most polluted capitals in the world.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2024