Smog levels soared on Saturday in major Pakistani cities as the air quality worsened sharply across the region. In Lahore the Air Quality Index (AQI) hit around 231, placing the city among the most polluted globally.
Heavy haze continues to obstruct visibility and linger over most neighbourhoods. The minimum temperature dropped to 11 °C, and the maximum was expected to reach 25 °C.
In Karachi the situation was also alarming with an AQI of about 201, ranking the city as the fifth most polluted in the world at the time.
The port city recorded a morning low of 15 °C and a daytime high of 32 °C, with a north-east breeze of 6 km/h and humidity around 60%.
Despite prior efforts to curb pollution — such as restrictions on brick kilns and vehicles — authorities say much more remains to be done to contain winter smog and improve air quality.