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Two cities of the cash-strapped nation of Pakistan featured in the list of the world's most polluted cities. Lahore remains the second most polluted city of the world, ARY News reported on Thursday.
Lahore was ranked 2nd with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 201, while Karachi was ranked 8th in the list with an AQI of 170, ARY News reported. The air quality index (AQI) reading in Lahore was soared to dangerous levels of 700 on last Sunday, which is lethal for health. The Pakistan Punjab government government imposed a "green lockdown" in designated smog hotspots across Lahore on Wednesday, Dawn reported. It was observed that restrictions were imposed on various places such as barbecue joints, motorcycle-rickshaws and marriage halls, amongst others. However, these measures have been described as insufficient and poorly planned by air quality experts. Pakistan's Punjab government's plan is an effort to control rising pollution levels in the city, which continues to rank among the world's most polluted cities. According to the Dawn, on Wednesday, the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) peaked at 588 at 3 am, with levels varying across different areas. The lowest AQI recorded was below 200 from 5 pm to 6 pm, although this still exceeded international standards for healthy air. By 8 pm, the reading was 177, a marked improvement compared to the previous two days.Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, speaking in the Punjab Assembly, announced that 11 areas in Lahore had been identified as smog hotspots, with Shimla Hill being the most affected. She confirmed that the "green lockdown" would take effect from Thursday. Meanwhile, Pakistan Punjab's Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz emphasized the importance of cross-border cooperation with Indian Punjab to address the increasing smog, describing the issue as a humanitarian crisis that requires joint action, Geo TV reported. While addressing an event in Lahore on Wednesday, she suggested that she may write to her Indian counterpart to reiterate her commitment to "smog diplomacy". Earlier on October 29, the Air Quality Index (AQI) touched the mark 708 in Lahore and it topped the world map in the list of most polluted cities of the world, reported Dawn. (ANI)
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