Islamabad, March 24: Pakistan has been ranked as the world's most polluted nation in 2025, with concentrations of hazardous fine particles known as PM2.5 up to 13 times higher than the recommended World Health Organization (WHO) level, a research revealed on Tuesday, according to local media.
In its annual report, Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir said that 13 nations and territories maintained average PM2.5 levels at the WHO standard of less than 5 micrograms per cubic metre last year, an increase from seven in 2024, Dawn, Pakistan's leading daily, reported.
The report revealed that 130 out of 143 monitored countries and territories did not meet the WHO guideline. Bangladesh and Tajikistan were ranked second and third on the list of the most polluted nations. Chad, which was ranked as the most polluted nation in 2024, was ranked fourth in 2025.
Only 14% of cities in the world met the WHO standard in 2025. The nations that met the WHO standard in 2025 included Australia, Iceland, Estonia, and Panama. Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia experienced a decline in PM2.5 compared to the previous year due to the wetter and windier La Niña weather, Dawn reported. According to the report released by IQAir, 75 countries had lower PM2.5 levels in 2025 compared to 2024, with 54 reporting higher average concentrations.
In 2024, Pakistan was ranked among the most polluted nations in the world. The average PM2.5 concentration in Pakistan was high, exceeding the safe limit of 5 micrograms per cubic metre set by WHO. Only 17% of global cities in 2024 maintained average PM2.5 levels at the WHO standard, The Express Tribune, another leading daily in Pakistan, reported.
The smog crisis in Pakistan is not only a health concern but also a setback for the nation's efforts to improve air quality. Cities like Lahore and Karachi face intense pollution, even during winter, when fog and industrial emissions together deteriorate air quality.
