In the worst case of air pollution in the world, an area in Pakistan's Lahore recorded an AQI of nearly 1600 on Friday. According to Swiss monitor IQAir, the CERP Office area in Lahore had an AQI of 1587 on Friday morning.

Delhi overtook Pakistan ’s Lahore as the world’s most polluted city in Swiss group IQAir’s live rankings, with an air quality index (AQI) score of more than 1,000, which is considered “hazardous”, but India ’s pollution authority said the AQI was around 350.

Delhi is facing a pollution emergency as AQI exceeds 450. New restrictions, including diesel vehicle bans and school closures, are now in effect to combat the worsening air quality.

The air quality of the national capital remained in the "severe" category on Saturday morning with the AQI settling at 407 at 9 am, according to the

Northern India encountered the recurring annual pre-winter event of air emergency where the Air Quality Index (AQI) readings of main pollutant PM 2.5 breached the 400-mark of “very poor” and landed the air of Delhi, Punjab and other northern cities into the “hazardous” category.

Delhi and its neighbouring cities are experiencing pollution levels that are at least 30-35 times the safe limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Every year, Delhi and northern states battle hazardous air during the winter months of October to January due to plummeting temperatures,