Punjab AQI Today, 24 October 2026 Evening: Pakpattan 359, Lahore 125 (All 36 Cities)
Pakpattan had Punjab's worst air at 6pm on 24 October 2026 at AQI 359, while Lahore fell to 125. See all 36 cities, Lahore's stations and the EPA's advice.
Pakpattan had the worst air in Punjab at 6pm on Saturday 24 October 2026, with an AQI of 359, "Very Unhealthy". Lahore read 125, "Moderate", down from 151 at 5am and 187 at the same hour on Friday. These are the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency's own figures from its live dashboard, which we read at about 6:30pm. Below you will find all 36 ranked cities, every Lahore station and what the EPA advises at these levels.
The picture changed a lot during the day. In the morning the south of the province was worst, led by Muzaffargarh. By evening, Pakpattan had jumped to the top and Muzaffargarh had dropped to 138.
Pakpattan tops Punjab's AQI list at 359 on Saturday evening
Pakpattan read 359 at 6pm on 24 October 2026, the only Punjab city in the "Very Unhealthy" band. Nankana Sahib followed at 223, then Multan at 211, DG Khan at 209 and Kot Addu at 205, all "Unhealthy".
Pakpattan was 189 at 5am, so its reading nearly doubled in 13 hours. The dashboard does not say why. A single city reading can swing fast when wind is weak and smoke from a nearby source drifts over a monitor, so treat one evening figure as a warning for tonight, not a fixed fact about the district.
All 36 Punjab cities at 6pm, from worst to best
The EPA ranked 36 cities at 6pm. One was "Very Unhealthy", four were "Unhealthy", seven were "Unhealthy for sensitive groups", twelve were "Moderate" and twelve were "Satisfactory". No city reached the "Good" band of 0 to 50.
| Rank | City | AQI at 6pm | Band |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakpattan | 359 | Very Unhealthy |
| 2 | Nankana Sahib | 223 | Unhealthy |
| 3 | Multan | 211 | Unhealthy |
| 4 | DG Khan | 209 | Unhealthy |
| 5 | Kot Addu | 205 | Unhealthy |
| 6 to 12 | Kasur 191, Sahiwal 185, Okara 177, Khanewal 171, Vehari 167, Bahawalpur 161, Rajanpur 153 | 153 to 191 | Unhealthy for sensitive groups |
| 13 to 24 | Muzaffargarh 138, Rahim Yar Khan 132, Jhang 129, Lahore 125, Wazirabad 122, Bhakkar 113, Murree 112, Chiniot 111, Faisalabad 109, Attock 108, Rawalpindi 102, Sheikhupura 101 | 101 to 138 | Moderate |
| 25 to 36 | Gujranwala 99, Khushab 90, Sialkot 86, Jhelum 85, Sargodha 81, Hafizabad 81, Chakwal 79, Mianwali 78, Narowal 69, Talagang 69, Mandi Bahauddin 64, Gujrat 61 | 61 to 99 | Satisfactory |
The cleanest air was in the north and centre: Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Talagang and Narowal. The dirtiest belt ran from Pakpattan and Sahiwal down to Multan, Kot Addu and DG Khan.
Lahore improves to 125, but two stations stay above 150
Lahore's 11 stations averaged 125 at 6pm, which is "Moderate". GT Road read 158 and Barki Road 154, both "Unhealthy for sensitive groups". Wagha Border was cleanest at 81, and Gulberg III read 93.
That is a real improvement. Lahore was 151 in the 5am reading on 24 October, and the dashboard showed 187 at the same hour yesterday. On the night of 22 October the city hit 318.
| Lahore station | AQI | PM2.5 (µg/m³) |
|---|---|---|
| GT Road | 158 | 82.0 |
| Barki Road | 154 | 75.4 |
| Kahna Nau | 147 | 68.0 |
| Multan Road | 140 | 62.8 |
| DHA Phase 6 | 131 | 56.7 |
| Shahdara | 126 | 52.6 |
| Safari Park | 116 | 45.7 |
| Egerton Road | 116 | 45.6 |
| Punjab University | 108 | 40.0 |
| Gulberg III | 93 | 32.1 |
| Wagha Border | 81 | 27.4 |
PM2.5 means fine particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres. They go deep into the lungs, and they drive most of the AQI number in smog season. The dashboard put Lahore's weather at 24°C, 63 per cent humidity and wind of 1.7 metres a second from the south east.
The day swung from Muzaffargarh to Pakpattan
Readings moved sharply between 5am and 6pm. Muzaffargarh fell from 228 to 138 and Okara from 209 to 177. Pakpattan rose from 189 to 359 and Nankana Sahib from 179 to 223. Multan barely moved, from 207 to 211.
Evening and night readings often rise again as the air cools and wind drops. So an afternoon improvement does not promise a clean night. Check again before sending children out early tomorrow.
What the EPA advises at these levels
For the general public, the EPA's evening advisory says to consider the AQI when planning outdoor activity. For vulnerable groups, it says to watch oxygen and blood pressure, avoid smoking, limit time outdoors, keep a nebuliser ready and see a doctor if breathing problems start.
If you live in Pakpattan, Nankana Sahib, Multan, DG Khan or Kot Addu tonight, these steps apply to everyone, not only the sick:
- Keep children, older parents and anyone with asthma or heart disease indoors this evening.
- Close doors and windows, and do not burn rubbish or wood at home.
- Wear a well fitted mask outside. The NIH advice on N95 and KN95 masks in smog explains which ones filter fine particles.
- Skip outdoor exercise until the reading falls below 150.
- Call a doctor or 1122 if someone has chest pain, wheezing or breathlessness that does not settle.
Pregnant women and heart and lung patients need the most care. The NIH's advice to protect pregnant women, heart and asthma patients sets out the signs that need a hospital.
No new smog closure order was visible on Saturday evening
We did not find a new Punjab order closing schools or markets for smog on 24 October 2026. Closures in Punjab come from a notification by the provincial government, not from a single AQI reading, and none had appeared by the time we checked.
Parents should watch for an official notice rather than WhatsApp forwards, and know where a Punjab smog closure order appears. You can also report a smoking factory or kiln to the EPA helpline 1373, which the dashboard lists.
Common questions
Which city had the worst air in Punjab on the evening of 24 October 2026?
Pakpattan, at 359 at 6pm, which is "Very Unhealthy". Nankana Sahib was second at 223.
What was Lahore's AQI at 6pm on 24 October 2026?
125, "Moderate", averaged over 11 stations. GT Road was highest at 158 and Wagha Border lowest at 81.
Is Lahore's air getting better?
On Saturday, yes. It fell from 151 at 5am to 125 at 6pm, against 187 at the same hour on Friday. Night readings can rise again.
Where can I check the official AQI for my city?
On the Punjab EPA dashboard at aqi.punjab.gov.pk. You can check Lahore's air quality live there and set an alert for your district.
Are Punjab schools closed for smog on 25 October 2026?
We found no new closure order on 24 October. Sunday is a holiday anyway. Check for an official notification before Monday.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We read the Punjab EPA air quality dashboard at about 6:30pm PKT on 24 October 2026. It showed "Last updated: 6:00 PM, Oct 24", the city ranking, the Lahore station table, the weather and the health advisory quoted above. The 5am figures come from our own earlier reading of the same dashboard. The dashboard showed a connectivity notice for some stations without naming them, so a city with a missing station may be averaged over fewer monitors. We could not find out how many stations Pakpattan has, or why its reading rose.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
