Islamabad, March 24 Pakistan was ranked the most polluted country in the world in 2025, followed by Bangladesh and Tajikistan, according to an annual report by a Swiss-based air quality firm released on Tuesday.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) country ranking shows that the concentration of PM2.5 in Pakistan is currently 13.5 times higher than the World Health Organisation's annual PM2.5 guideline value.
Founded in 1963, the Switzerland-based firm IQ Air measures air quality based on the annual average concentration of airborne particulate matter, specifically PM2.5, according to the firm's official website.
Among all the cities, Faisalabad in the Punjab province, with an average AQI of 181, was the most polluted city last year, while Haripur in northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the cleanest city.
According to the report released by the Swiss firm, the concentration of PM2.5 in Pakistan was 67 µm per cubic meter.
Observing the data collected over the past few years, the IQ Air report stated that air pollution levels in Pakistan have generally improved.
Karachi, the financial capital of the country, is actually showing worse numbers in recent times than in previous years, it added.
Out of the 143 countries monitored, India ranks sixth, with a PM2.5 concentration 9.8 times higher than the World Health Organisation's annual PM2.5 guideline value.
Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
The concentration of PM2.5 is known to irritate the eyes, throat, and nose. It can also cause irregular heartbeats, asthma attacks, and can lead to coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath.