Clear skies in Punjab, Air Quality plummets to poor category

October 20, 2025

There hasn’t been much change in the temperature in Punjab. According to the Meteorological Department, there won’t be any significant change for the next four to five days. Temperatures in most cities are expected to remain between 16 and 33 degrees Celsius. The weather will remain dry, and light winds will continue to blow. However, Punjab’s air quality is steadily deteriorating.

AQI in Poor Category

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Punjab is around 149, which falls in the “poor” category. PM 2.5 levels are 95 micrograms per cubic meter and PM 10 levels are 130 micrograms per cubic meter, which are harmful to health. The main causes of this pollution include stubble burning, industrial smoke, vehicle pollution, and garbage burning.

Pakistan is becoming a major cause of pollution
Recently, from September 15 to October 18, 241 stubble burning incidents were recorded in Punjab, contributing to the increase in pollution. However, stubble-burning incidents on the Pakistani side are much larger.

During periods of high pollution, winds blow primarily from the west and northwest, carrying pollutants into northern and eastern parts of Punjab. Wind speeds during this time are around 7 km/h, which can effectively disperse or contain pollution.