Lahore's air quality improved over the weekend after hazardous readings on Friday, but the city's air remained unhealthy on Sunday, with several neighbourhoods recording levels well above the city average. The News put the city's average index at 207 on Sunday, with Syed Maratib Ali Road at 288 and Model Town at 262, while IQAir's Pakistan alert put several major cities in the unhealthy to very unhealthy range on 25 October.

A volatile weekend

The weekend showed how quickly Lahore's air can swing. On Friday morning the Punjab network put the city's average at 347, with three areas at the maximum reading of 500, and Lahore ranked the world's most polluted major city on IQAir. By Saturday the average had fallen to 172, still unhealthy for sensitive groups, with GT Road at 222, Ravi Road at 211 and Model Town at 204.

Elsewhere in Punjab on Saturday, southern cities were all above 200, while northern districts recorded satisfactory or good air. No rainfall was expected in Lahore, where temperatures were forecast between 16 and 29 degrees with wind at 3 kilometres per hour and humidity at 57 per cent.

What the readings mean

Readings of 151 to 200 are unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, and above 300 hazardous. Fine PM2.5 particles can penetrate deep into the lungs, and prolonged exposure is linked to heart and lung disease. Experts advise limiting outdoor activity, wearing a mask outside and keeping windows closed.

Readings differ between networks and times of day. Pakistan's average PM2.5 in 2025 was 67.3 micrograms per cubic metre, nearly 14 times the WHO annual guideline of 5, making it the most polluted country in the 2025 World Air Quality Report.