Pakistan has been ranked the third most polluted country in the world in 2024, as it battled unprecedented smog that severely impacted public health, according to a new report.
The Swiss air technology company IQAir, in its 2024 World Air Quality Report, placed Pakistan behind Chad and Bangladesh in global pollution rankings. The Democratic Republic of Congo and India followed in fourth and fifth place, respectively, the Dawn reported.
Pakistan experienced record levels of smog last year, particularly in Punjab, where authorities declared the situation a “calamity.” Nearly two million people required medical attention due to pollution-related health problems. The government imposed lockdowns and shut down schools in affected areas to curb the crisis.
The report highlighted that Pakistan’s average concentration of PM2.5—fine particulate matter harmful to human health—was 73.7 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m³), nearly 15 times above the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) safe limit.
Despite the extreme smog, Pakistan’s overall air pollution levels remained unchanged from 2023, the study noted.
Within the Central and South Asia region, Pakistan ranked second behind Bangladesh, with several of its cities among the most polluted. Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, and Sialkot were among the 15 worst-hit cities.
The report attributed Pakistan’s persistently high pollution levels to multiple sources, including biomass burning, industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, brick kilns, and construction dust.
Compared to 2023, annual pollution levels worsened in cities like Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore. Faisalabad recorded a slight increase, while Karachi’s PM2.5 levels dropped 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.
A separate survey by international research firm Ipsos found that around 70% of Pakistan’s population suffered from health issues due to smog.