PESHAWAR: Peshawar has been ranked among the most polluted cities in Pakistan, with its air quality index (AQI) placing it in the ‘unhealthy’ category, raising serious health concerns for residents.
According to air quality data, the city recorded a PM2.5 level of 63.9 μg/m³, categorizing it as unhealthy, a range defined between 55.5 and 150.4 μg/m³. This level of pollution is considered harmful to the general population and particularly dangerous for sensitive groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with respiratory or heart conditions.
Peshawar ranked 9th among Pakistani cities for pollution levels, just behind Muridke and Lahore, and 37th globally among the world’s most polluted cities.
Although the city’s pollution levels are not as severe as Gujranwala’s (105.3 μg/m³) or Faisalabad’s (104.6 μg/m³), experts warn that Peshawar’s worsening air quality remains a major public health threat.
Data shows that Peshawar’s air pollution peaks during the winter months, with the highest PM2.5 reading of 113.5 μg/m³ recorded in December, making it the most polluted month of the year. Air quality typically begins to deteriorate in September, rising from 41.4 μg/m³ in August to 60.9 μg/m³ in September, and continues to worsen through the year’s end.
Environmental experts attribute the city’s poor air quality primarily to vehicle emissions, particularly from old and poorly maintained cars, motorbikes, and diesel-powered trucks. Additional contributors include industrial smoke, brick kiln emissions, construction dust, burning of waste, and crop residue fires.
Air quality specialists emphasize the need for stronger enforcement of environmental regulations, promotion of cleaner fuels, and modernization of public transport systems to mitigate the growing pollution crisis.
They also urge public awareness campaigns, noting that simple measures such as reducing outdoor activity during high-pollution days and wearing protective masks can help minimize exposure to harmful pollutants.
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