LAHORE: Lahore smog AQI November 2026 has put the city back at the top of the world pollution ranking, as thick smog settled over Punjab this week. Lahore recorded an air quality index of 458 on IQAir, the highest among the world major cities. Multan recorded an even higher reading of 719, while Kahna Nau stood at 655 and Kasur at 462. The readings show that the winter smog season has arrived in full force across the province.
The Multan AQI 719 Punjab air quality reading is the worst reported in the province this week. The Punjab air quality index showed Lahore at 430 at 7am, which was 70 points higher than the previous day. Other stations in Lahore also showed very high readings, with the CERP Office at 611, Barki Road Paragon at 609, Allama Iqbal Town at 583 and Raiwind at 511. In Multan, the reading of 719 is far above the level of 300 that is classed as hazardous.
The Lahore AQI 458 IQAir world ranking puts the city first among major cities in the world. A separate report on Friday put the Lahore reading at 352, while an average reading on Thursday was reported as 338. These figures differ because they were taken at different times of the day and by different monitors. This article gives each figure with its source and its day, because a single AQI number changes hour by hour. What does not change is the picture: Lahore air is hazardous, and it has been among the worst in the world all week.
The PMD fog smog warning Punjab cities alert covers the whole weekend. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned of fog and smog in Lahore, Narowal, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur and nearby areas. Morning fog and smog may affect those cities on 7 and 8 November, with reduced visibility in the early hours. Most parts of the country will stay dry, while the northern areas will be cold and partly cloudy. The department has forecast a minimum of 17 degrees and a maximum of 30 degrees in Lahore over the next 24 hours.
The Chamkta Lahore 100 km roads washed daily campaign is the Punjab government answer to the dust that feeds smog. The drive was launched on Tuesday 3 November at Liberty Chowk in Gulberg, and the plan is to wash about 100 km of Lahore roads every day, or about 648 km in a week. The work focuses on major roads, busy junctions and commercial areas, where dust from traffic and construction adds to the haze.
The minister also said that November smog levels were clearly lower than two years ago. That is a claim made at the launch, and it has not been checked against the Environment Protection Department data in the reports seen so far. This article reports it as the minister view, not as a measured fact. What is measured is the AQI, and the readings this week show hazardous air in Lahore and Multan. No list of the 100 roads to be washed each day has been published that could be found, and no timetable has been shared for which road is washed on which day.
The Punjab smog health risks November 2026 warning is serious for people with breathing problems. Air pollution at these levels poses a risk to the lungs and the heart, and doctors advise children, older people and patients with asthma to stay indoors in the morning. The fine dust in smog, known as PM2.5, was reported at 60 times the World Health Organisation annual guideline in Lahore earlier this week. Masks, closed windows and less time outdoors in the morning hours can reduce the harm, but they do not fix the air itself.
The government has also stepped up action against brick kilns that break environmental rules, and it continues to ask farmers not to burn crop residue after harvesting. Smoke from stubble burning in Indian Punjab and Haryana also drifts across the border, and reports say it adds to the haze in Lahore and nearby districts. Cold and still air traps the smoke and dust close to the ground, which is why the smog is worst in the morning. Sluggish winds and a sharp drop in night temperatures have made the air worse this week, according to officials.
The smog is expected to stay over the weekend, and the road washing drive will be watched to see if it makes a visible difference. Longer term fixes, such as cleaner fuel, less dust from construction and an end to crop burning, take more time and more coordination. For now, residents are being asked to check the air quality before they take children or older relatives out, and to keep windows closed in the early morning. The next few days will show whether the wind picks up and clears the haze, or whether the smog settles in for the season.
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