The respite from oppressive smog was brief, as pollution levels in Lahore increased once more a day after the Punjab government loosened restrictions following an improvement in the air quality in the provincial capital.
According to the Swiss company IQAir, Lahore’s air quality index (AQI) dropped to an “unhealthy” 184 a day earlier, but it rose to 502 early Friday morning, making it the most polluted city in the world.
The AQI was 485 at 9:30 p.m., but it was still above the dangerous 300 barrier. The PM2.5 particle level was also greater than 63.6 times what the World Health Organization considers acceptable.
