Pakistan Air Quality Alert

Is the air quality good in Pakistan?

As of December 29, 2025, air quality in Pakistan remains poor, with major cities experiencing "unhealthy" to "very unhealthy" levels and high PM2.5 concentrations, posing serious health risks to residents, especially children and the elderly.

By 11:30 AM (Pakistan Standard Time), many urban centers have recorded AQI readings above 200, prompting health warnings. Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity, keep windows closed, wear masks when outside, and use air purifiers indoors.

While conditions remain poor, Pakistan’s average PM2.5 concentration in 2024 was 73.7 µg/m³, equivalent to an AQI of 160, classified as “unhealthy.” This level is nearly 15 times higher than the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³, placing Pakistan third globally in the 2024 World Air Quality Report.

Air quality map of Pakistan and neighboring countries, as of 11:30 AM (PST) on December 29, 2025. Source: IQAir.

Which cities are affected by bad air quality in Pakistan?

As of December 29, 2025, cities in Pakistan affected by poor air quality include:

• Abbottabad
• Bahawalpur
• Dera Ghazi Khan
• Faisalabad
• Hyderabad
• Gujranwala
• Islamabad
• Karachi
• Kasur
• Lahore
• Multan
• Peshawar
• Rahim Yar Khan
• Rawalpindi
• Sargodha
• Sialkot
• Sukkur

Air quality conditions can change rapidly throughout the day. For a complete, real-time overview of pollution levels nationwide, see Pakistan's air quality map.

Karachi ranked as the fifth most polluted major city globally, while Lahore ranked eighth, as of 11:30 AM (PST) on December 29, 2025. Source: IQAir.

When will the air quality improve in Pakistan?

Short-term improvements depend on weather. Wind, rain and stronger mixing can lower concentrations within days, but calm, cool conditions and winter temperature inversions will trap pollutants and prolong smog episodes through the October–February smog season. Lasting improvement requires policy action and seasonal controls. Without those, severe episodes are likely to recur each winter (1).

What is causing poor air quality in Pakistan?

The root causes of air pollution in Pakistan include industrial emissions, vehicular exhausts, agricultural practices like overuse of fertilizers and crop residue burning, biomass and waste burning, domestic fires, and urbanization (2).

In the winter season, pollution intensifies due to widespread stubble burning after rice harvests, which releases PM2.5, NOx, and ozone precursors, combined with temperature inversions, low winds, cold temperatures, and reduced rainfall that trap pollutants, forming dense smog in cities. Transboundary pollution from India also contributes (3).

How can I protect myself from poor air quality?

• Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
• Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
• Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
• Stay indoors when air quality is poor; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
• Run a high-performance air purifier to filter particles, gases, and other pollutants.