Lahore AQI Today, 24 October 2026: 151, Down From 313, and All 32 Punjab Cities Ranked

Short answer: Lahore's air quality index (AQI) was 151 at 5 am on Saturday 24 October 2026, "unhealthy for sensitive groups", on the Punjab government's monitoring network. That is less than half the 313 recorded at the same hour a day earlier. Muzaffargarh was the worst city in Punjab at 228.

We read the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality dashboard twice early on 24 October. It averages 11 monitoring stations in Lahore and ranks 32 Punjab cities each hour. Below is the Lahore AQI today by station, every city's reading, and what the EPA advises you to do at this level. The worst air has moved south, to the Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan belt, while Gujranwala, Sheikhupura and Rawalpindi are in the satisfactory or good range.

Lahore AQI is 151 this morning, down from 313

The Lahore average was 151 at 5 am on 24 October, which sits at the bottom of the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" band of 151 to 200. At the same hour on 23 October it was 313, "very unhealthy". On the night of 22 October, at 11 pm, it was 318.

Seven of Lahore's 11 stations were in the "unhealthy for sensitive groups" band. Egerton Road was the worst at 186, with fine particles (PM2.5) at 127.5 micrograms per cubic metre. Wagha Border was the cleanest at 83.

The reading changes every hour, and smog usually builds again in the evening and at night. So 151 at dawn does not promise a clean day. On the morning of 23 October an international air tracker ranked Lahore the most polluted city in the world, as reported.

Muzaffargarh, Okara and Multan have the worst air in Punjab

Five Punjab cities were in the "unhealthy" band of 201 to 300 at 5 am: Muzaffargarh 228, Okara 209, Multan 207, Sahiwal 204 and Rajanpur 203. Ten more, including Lahore, were "unhealthy for sensitive groups". Three cities had good air.

The change from two nights ago is large. At 11 pm on 22 October, Nankana Sahib read 500 and Gujranwala 344, as we reported in Punjab air quality on the night of 22 October. This morning they read 179 and 82. Mianwali, Narowal, Chakwal and Chiniot were missing from the ranking, as the dashboard flagged a connectivity problem at some stations.

Wind picked up overnight in Lahore

The dashboard showed wind of 1.0 metre a second from the south-south-east in Lahore at 5 am, with a temperature of 22°C and humidity of 78 per cent. At 11 pm on 22 October the wind was 0.3 metres a second.

The EPA does not give a reason for the fall in its readings. As general science, moving air spreads pollution out, while still, cool air near the ground traps smoke and dust over a city. That is why readings in Lahore often drop after a windy night and climb again on calm evenings. Burning rice stubble, vehicle smoke and brick kilns are among the sources targeted in the Punjab EPA's pre-smog action plan.

What the EPA advises at today's level

At "unhealthy for sensitive groups", the EPA's dashboard tells everyone to cut down long or heavy outdoor effort. Children, older people and anyone with asthma, lung or heart disease should take more care: check the AQI before going out, wear a mask outdoors and keep doors and windows closed.

1. Check the AQI for your city on the EPA dashboard before you leave home, and again before evening plans.
2. Keep children indoors in the early morning and late evening, when smog is usually worst.
3. Wear a well-fitted N95 or KN95 mask outdoors if your city is above 150.
4. Keep doors and windows closed while the reading is high.
5. If you have lung or heart disease, ask your doctor about mask use and keep your medicines at hand.

Mask choice and fit are covered in the advice on wearing an N95 or KN95 mask in smog. To report crop burning, smoky factories or kilns, call the EPA helpline 1373. We could not open Punjab's notification pages on 24 October, so we cannot say whether any new school or market closure order has been issued for this weekend.

Common questions about Lahore AQI today

What is Lahore's AQI today?

151 at 5 am on 24 October 2026, the average of 11 stations on the Punjab EPA network. That is "unhealthy for sensitive groups".

Which part of Lahore has the worst air?

Egerton Road, at 186, then Multan Road at 181 and GT Road at 173. Wagha Border was cleanest at 83.

Which city has the worst air in Punjab today?

Muzaffargarh, at 228 at 5 am. Okara, Multan, Sahiwal and Rajanpur were also above 200.

Is it safe to go for a walk in Lahore today?

Healthy adults can go out but should avoid long or heavy exercise outdoors. Children, older people and those with lung or heart disease should limit time outside.

Why did Lahore's AQI fall so much?

The EPA gives no reason. Wind was stronger at 1.0 metre a second, and moving air usually spreads pollution, but readings can rise again by evening.

Where can I check the AQI every hour?

On the Punjab EPA's air quality dashboard, which updates each hour for 11 Lahore stations and more than 30 cities.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked 24 October 2026 at 06:07 PKT. Every reading, the station list, the weather figures, the health advice and the 1373 helpline come from the Punjab EPA air quality dashboard, which we read at about 05:45 and 06:07 PKT, both showing data for 5 am. The 22 October readings come from our earlier report, and the band counts are our own. The dashboard does not explain the change, the claim of a world ranking on 23 October is reported only, and we could not check for new closure orders.