Pakistan's Lahore becomes world's most polluted city 

A thick cloud of smog that enveloped Pakistan’s Lahore on Wednesday has earned it the ignominious title of the ‘world’s most polluted city’, according to a Swiss air quality monitoring company. 

Being third a day earlier, Lahore now stands at the top of IQAir polluted cities ranking with an air quality index of 203 on the US AQI scale, versus runner-up Dehli, India, with 183. 

That standing was at 0949 GMT; the two cities had traded places at least once over the course of the morning.

Increasing smog and particle-laden air have sickened thousands of people with respiratory and other illnesses, forcing many to stay at home.

Dhaka, Bangladesh came in third, with an index of 169, and Kolkata, India at fourth, with a reading of 168. 

Increasing smog and particle-laden air have sickened thousands of people with respiratory and other illnesses, forcing many to stay at home on particularly dirty days like Wednesday.

Lahore was once known as the city of gardens, which were ubiquitous during the Mughal era of the 16th to 19th centuries. 

Intense urbanisation and surging population growth have left little room for greenery across Punjab’s provincial capital.

Doctors are advising people to wear face masks to avoid respiratory related diseases. The hazy air has sickened hundreds with breathing related and other illnesses.