Punjab Air Quality on 14 October 2026: Jhang Worst at 183, Lahore at 120

Short answer: At 11:00 am on 14 October 2026, Punjab's official air quality dashboard showed Jhang worst at AQI 183, followed by Okara at 161 and Multan at 157. Lahore read 120, which the dashboard calls Moderate. At the same hour yesterday Lahore read 114.

Seven Punjab cities sat in the 151 to 200 band on the dashboard's scale, which is labelled "Unhealthy for sensitive groups". Lahore was not one of them. We opened the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency's dashboard at aqi.punjab.gov.pk on 14 October 2026 and read the city ranking as it stood at 11:00 am.

Jhang is the worst city at AQI 183

Jhang topped the 28-city ranking at 183. Okara followed at 161, Multan at 157 and Sahiwal at 155. Kot Addu, Nankana Sahib and Vehari each read 154. All seven are in the band that the dashboard marks as unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Faisalabad read 148, Rajanpur 147 and DG Khan 141. Those sit in the Moderate band, but only just. Pakpattan read 136 and Bahawalpur 130.

The south and centre of the province carry most of the higher readings. Jhang was also high four days ago: our 10 October ranking had it at 197.

Lahore reads 120 and is slightly worse than yesterday

Lahore's city reading was 120 at 11:00 am, in the Moderate band of 101 to 150. At the same hour on 13 October it was 114, so air quality is six points worse. The Lahore figure covers 11 stations across the city.

That is a small rise, not a jump. On 13 October at 1:00 pm Lahore read 119, so the city has held near 120 for two days. A reading of 120 means sensitive people may feel it, while most healthy adults will not. Children, older people and anyone with asthma or heart disease should treat it with more care than a healthy adult.

For a longer view, see the 13 October ranking. The city read 163 on 9 October, so 120 is a relief rather than a safe sign.

Cleanest air is in Talagang, Wazirabad and Chiniot

The lowest readings at 11:00 am were Talagang at 57, Wazirabad at 63 and Chiniot at 70. Jhelum read 71, Mianwali 76 and Attock 79. All of these fall in the Satisfactory band of 51 to 100.

Counting the ranking of 28 cities, 7 were in the 151 to 200 band, 10 were Moderate and 11 were Satisfactory. The spread between Jhang at 183 and Talagang at 57 is 126 points, which shows how local air quality is.

Murree read 107, Gujranwala 105, Bhakkar and Khushab 102, Mandi Bahauddin 96, Sialkot 95, Sheikhupura 94, Rawalpindi 92 and Sargodha 90. Do not judge your own city by the provincial headline. Check your own row.

What the dashboard advises for each group

The dashboard tells the general public to use the AQI to plan outdoor activities. For vulnerable groups it lists six actions: watch your health, eat well, avoid smoking, limit outdoor time, keep emergency aids ready and see a doctor if breathing trouble starts.

1. Open aqi.punjab.gov.pk and find your city in the ranking.
2. Read the band name next to the number.
3. If you are in the 151 to 200 band, limit long outdoor activity if you have asthma, heart disease or a young or old person at home.
4. Keep a nebulizer or prescribed inhaler within reach if you use one.
5. Check again in the evening, because the reading changes through the day.

The advice for protecting children and older parents in smog goes level by level. An N95 or KN95 mask helps once the air turns worse. Neither is needed for most healthy adults at 120.

What is not known yet

We did not find a government order tied to today's reading. The dashboard does not say why Jhang is high, and we could not confirm any school closure or traffic restriction on 14 October. These remain open until an official notice appears.

Smog season usually builds from late October. The agency's pre-season work on smoky vehicles is already under way. If schools ever close for smog, the notice is in the place described in how to check whether Punjab schools are closed.

Common questions

What is Lahore's AQI today, 14 October 2026?

Lahore read 120 at 11:00 am on the Punjab dashboard, in the Moderate band. The same hour yesterday it was 114.

Which Punjab city has the worst air today?

Jhang, at 183 at 11:00 am. Okara read 161 and Multan 157.

Is an AQI of 120 safe?

It is in the Moderate band. Most healthy adults can go about their day. People with asthma, heart disease or breathing trouble should watch it and limit long time outdoors.

Where does the AQI come from?

From the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency's live dashboard at aqi.punjab.gov.pk. It is free and needs no login. Each step to check Lahore's air quality live is free.

Will the AQI change during the day?

Yes. The dashboard updates through the day, so a morning number can differ from an evening one. Always read the time stamp next to the figure.

How we verified this

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

Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Punjab EPA air quality dashboard as it stood at 11:00 am. Readings change by the hour. We did not check station-level data outside Lahore, and the dashboard gives no cause for any city's reading.