Pakistan: Karachi and Lahore listed among world’s most polluted cities
Lahore: Based on data from a well-known international air quality monitoring service, Karachi and Lahore are ranked among the most polluted cities in the world in the most recent Air Quality Index (AQI) rankings from IQAir.
Public health is being threatened by the extreme air pollution that both Karachi and Lahore are dealing with. With an AQI of 354, which is deemed “hazardous” for locals, Lahore in particular has been named the most polluted city in the world.
According to the Express Tribune, the metropolis, which has a population of over 11 million, has long suffered from poor air quality, mostly as a result of industrial activity, automobile emissions, and crop burning.
Because of this, many locals have had worsened respiratory issues, such as asthma and other lung conditions, especially in the winter months when the pollution is at its worst. 18,86,586 individuals have been unwell as a result of the haze in the last month, and 1,29,229 of them have sought medical treatment for respiratory conditions.
In the meantime, cardiothoracic disorders have been identified in 61,00,153 people. In a similar vein, smog-related respiratory issues, chest discomfort, and strokes have been recorded in over 69,399 people per day.
With an AQI of 164, the biggest city in Pakistan, Karachi, is ranked 13th on the list and falls into the “unhealthy” category, according to the research. High pollution levels endanger the environment and human health because of the city’s crowded port, heavy traffic, and industrial regions. Karachi’s air quality is becoming worse despite continuous attempts to combat air pollution, which puts locals in considerable danger, particularly those who already have health issues.
Vehicle emissions had previously been blamed by the Climate Action Centre (CAC), a non-governmental environmental group, for the current haze in Karachi and the pollution in Lahore and other Punjabi cities. CAC Director Yasir Hussain clarified at a press conference held at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday that emissions from gasoline and diesel cars are the primary cause of pollution in these cities, accounting for 60% of the pollution in Karachi and 80% in Lahore.
Meanwhile, the winter measles epidemic has sparked concerns among medical professionals. Children who are at risk, especially those who are undernourished, immunocompromised, or unvaccinated, may die from measles, which is characterized by symptoms including a runny nose, fever, cough, red eyes, and skin rashes.
The very dangerous sickness spreads swiftly from kid to child, doctors have warned. They underlined that in order to prevent their children from this contagious disease, parents should make sure they get the measles vaccination between the ages of nine months and one and a half years.
