Delhi snatches world's most polluted city title from Lahore as smog takes over

Delhi has overtaken Lahore to become the world's most polluted major city, while improving air quality has brought some relief to Pakistan's provincial capital.

According to Swiss air quality monitoring organisation IQAir, Delhi recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 334 on Friday, November 13, placing it at the top of the global pollution ranking.

India's Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), however, reported an even higher AQI of 403, categorising the city's air quality as severe.

Delhi struggles with hazardous smog

Thick smog covered several parts of Delhi, reducing visibility and making it difficult for motorists to see streetlights and other vehicles.

The city's pollution levels remained alarming despite some improvement in hourly readings. By 11am Pakistan Standard Time, Delhi's AQI had dropped to 208, according to IQAir.

The difference between the IQAir and CPCB figures is due to their different pollution measurement scales and calculation methods.

Lahore drops to seventh place

Meanwhile, Lahore recorded an AQI of 155 at the same hourly update, moving down to seventh place among the world's most polluted major cities.

The improvement came after Lahore remained at the top of the global pollution ranking for several consecutive days.

However, the decline does not mean the city's smog problem has ended.

Crop burning remains a major concern

A recent Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI) report found that Lahore's average PM2.5 concentration reached 126 micrograms per cubic metre, around eight times the World Health Organisation's recommended guideline.

Satellite monitoring also detected 18,825 fires across Punjab, with 89% likely linked to crop-residue burning.

The report warned that agricultural fires, stagnant weather and poor air circulation continue to contribute to dangerous pollution levels.