Lahore’s Air Quality Shows Signs of Improvement, Yet a Long Road Ahead!

PAQI’s recent statistics reveal a significant reduction in Lahore’s AQI compared to last year. This marks an improvement in air quality. The data also clearly shows that there is still much work to be done.

The pollution crisis that struck Lahore in 2024 got better in November 2025. The severe pollution swings that had plagued the city the previous year were no longer an issue.

Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI) statistics show that the maximum daily pollution spikes dropped by 56%, from 539 µg/m³ in 2024 to 237 µg/m³ this year (2025). 

There were also zero days in the “Hazardous” (>300 AQI) category, a sharp contrast to the 15 consecutive hazardous days in November 2024. Year-to-date PM2.5 levels have fallen by 15.6%, reflecting clear progress.

Despite these improvements, Lahore’s pollution baseline remains high. November’s monthly average PM2.5 was 181 µg/m³, a 37% improvement over last year, but still 5.2 times above the PEQS (Pakistan Environmental Quality Standards) limit of 35 µg/m³. 

“While we successfully reduced the extreme peaks, Lahore’s pollution baseline remains stubbornly elevated,” says PAQI. 

The organization attributes the reduction in peak smog episodes to “favorable meteorology,” including wind and rainfall patterns that helped prevent the dangerous accumulation of pollutants seen last year.

While government interventions may have helped stabilize the baseline, the continued presence of “Very Unhealthy” air indicates that structural emission sources remain critically high. 

According to PAQI, the emphasis should now shift from controlling abrupt spikes in pollution to addressing the persistent sources of pollution, particularly structural emissions. 

Only by addressing these long term issues can Lahore hope to meet WHO and PEQS guidelines in the future.