There seems to be no relief in sight for the residents of Lahore from the smog, at least in the near future. On Saturday, the city recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 404, once again ranking it as the world’s most polluted city, followed by New Delhi at 308.

Areas including Civil Secretariat, Shadman, Gulberg, Lower Mall, and Iqbal Town were among the worst affected.

The Met Office warned that no rainfall is expected in the provincial capital over the coming days.

Temperatures are forecast to reach a maximum of 31°C during the day and a minimum of 18°C at night.

The situation remained grim across other cities in Punjab as well, with residents in Faisalabad, Multan, Gujranwala, and other urban centers struggling to breathe due to extremely poor air quality. Doctors advised people to wear facemasks when venturing outdoors.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued an alert, stating that dense smog is expected to persist across most cities in the province from November through mid-December.

And despite tall claims made by the provincial government that it is taking steps to control smog, crops residue continues to be burnt in villages.

Karachi emerges as seventh most polluted city

Karachi, with AQI recorded at 154, was at the seventh spot on the list of the cities with worst air quality.

The weather department said that the maximum temperature in the port city would go up to 39 degrees Celsius, while it would remain 21 degrees Celsius on the minimum side.

On Saturday morning, winds were blowing in the city from east at a speed of three kilometers per hour, while humidity was recorded at 40 per cent.