Based on recent air quality data, Abbottabad in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province stands out as the cleanest major city in Pakistan.
Pakistan's Air Quality Overview
Pakistan, like many developing nations, faces significant challenges regarding air quality. While some urban centers grapple with high levels of pollution, certain cities maintain relatively cleaner air. Understanding the air quality index (AQI) is crucial for assessing environmental health. The AQI is a numerical scale used to report daily air quality, indicating how clean or polluted the air is and what associated health effects might be a concern.
Cleanest and Most Polluted Cities in 2023
According to air quality monitoring data from 2023, Abbottabad recorded a significantly lower Air Quality Index compared to other major urban areas, making it the cleanest city. In stark contrast, Lahore consistently registered as one of the most polluted cities in the country.
Here's a comparison of the cities based on their 2023 Air Quality Index:
| City | Province | 2023 Air Quality Index (AQI) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbottabad | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 97 | Cleanest City |
| Lahore | Punjab | 182 | Most Polluted City |
Source: IQAir, a global air quality technology company. For more detailed information on Pakistan's air quality, you can visit IQAir's Pakistan Air Quality page.
Factors Influencing Air Quality
The stark difference in air quality between cities like Abbottabad and Lahore can be attributed to several factors:
- Geographical Location: Abbottabad is nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, benefiting from natural ventilation and less industrial activity compared to densely populated plains cities.
- Industrialization and Vehicular Emissions: Major metropolitan areas like Lahore suffer heavily from emissions from industries, a high volume of vehicles, and burning of fossil fuels.
- Urban Planning and Green Spaces: Cities with more green spaces and better urban planning tend to have improved air circulation and absorption of pollutants.
- Waste Management: Inadequate waste management and burning of waste contribute significantly to air pollution in many urban areas.
Understanding the Air Quality Index (AQI)
The AQI values are categorized to help the public understand the health implications:
- 0-50: Good – Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
- 51-100: Moderate – Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants, there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
- 101-150: Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups – Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected.
- 151-200: Unhealthy – Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
- 201-300: Very Unhealthy – Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.
- 301+: Hazardous – Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects.
Abbottabad's AQI of 97 falls into the "Moderate" category, indicating acceptable air quality, while Lahore's AQI of 182 is in the "Unhealthy" range, posing health risks to the general population.
