Lahore Air Pollution: Pakistan Blames India’s Diwali Fireworks

Pakistan has blamed pollution drifting from India after Diwali celebrations for worsening air quality in Lahore, where the city ranked as the world’s most polluted major city for a second consecutive day on November 10, 2026. Punjab Environment Protection Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb attributed the deteriorating conditions partly to smoke and pollutants carried across the border by light winds following India’s Diwali fireworks.

Lahore recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 263 on Tuesday, placing it in the “very unhealthy” category, according to Swiss air quality monitoring group IQAir. The city’s PM2.5 concentration was reported at 37.2 times the World Health Organization’s annual guideline level.

However, the claim that India’s Diwali fireworks were responsible for Lahore’s pollution has become a subject of debate. A report by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative (PAQI), published around the same time, questioned whether fireworks across the border could explain the deterioration. It highlighted other pollution sources and said the available evidence did not establish a direct link.

The episode has renewed attention on the shared Air Pollution crisis affecting northern India and Pakistan, where seasonal weather conditions, agricultural fires, vehicle emissions and industrial activity contribute to persistent winter smog.

Pakistan Attributes Lahore’s Pollution to Diwali Fireworks in India

Marriyum Aurangzeb, Punjab’s Environment Protection Minister, said pollutants had travelled into the province from India following Diwali celebrations over the weekend. She attributed the movement to light winds carrying polluted air across the international border.

Her remarks came as Lahore experienced another day of extremely poor air quality. The city remained at the top of IQAir’s ranking of the world’s most polluted major cities for the second consecutive day, recording an AQI of 263 on November 10.

AQI readings are used to communicate the level of air pollution and its potential health implications. The “very unhealthy” classification indicates conditions in which exposure to polluted air can pose significant health risks, particularly for sensitive groups.

Aurangzeb also expressed the expectation that air quality would gradually improve as weather conditions changed and winds shifted direction. Changes in wind patterns can influence how pollutants move and whether they accumulate over a particular city.

Pakistan’s explanation has drawn attention because Diwali fireworks in northern India coincided with deteriorating air quality across parts of the region. However, establishing how much pollution travelled from India to Lahore requires more than observing that the two events occurred at approximately the same time.

Lahore AQI Reaches 263: What the Pollution Reading Means

Lahore’s AQI reading of 263 placed the city in IQAir’s “very unhealthy” category. The monitoring group also reported that PM2.5 concentrations were 37.2 times higher than the WHO’s annual guideline.

PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter. These particles are small enough to penetrate deep into the respiratory system, making them a major concern during severe pollution episodes.

High PM2.5 exposure can aggravate respiratory problems and increase health risks, particularly for children, older people and individuals with existing heart or lung conditions. During periods of heavy smog, limiting prolonged outdoor exposure and following local health advisories can help reduce exposure.

The pollution problem is not limited to Lahore. Delhi also ranked among the world’s most polluted major cities on November 10, recording an AQI of 188, according to IQAir. The simultaneous deterioration in air quality highlights the wider environmental challenge affecting the region.

Pakistan Air Quality Initiative Questions the Diwali Fireworks Link

While Punjab’s environment minister blamed pollution drifting from India, a report by the Pakistan Air Quality Initiative raised questions about whether Diwali fireworks were responsible for Lahore’s worsening air quality.

The assessment examined satellite observations, air movement patterns and pollution measurements around the period of the November 8 Diwali celebrations. It found that easterly winds carried air from Indian territory towards Pakistan during the night following the festival.

However, the report said the available evidence did not support attributing Lahore’s poor air quality after Diwali specifically to fireworks across the border. It also noted that the pattern of pollution increases across different Pakistani cities did not clearly support the claim that emissions from India were the principal cause.

The assessment found that pollution levels increased in several cities farther inland, including Faisalabad and Multan. If cross-border pollution were the main explanation, a stronger increase in cities closer to the border might have been expected. The observed pattern therefore raised questions about the extent of India’s contribution.

The report also said emissions from New Delhi had not reached Lahore during the period it examined. Air from Delhi entered Pakistan near Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur only after 3 am on November 10, while its closest approach to Lahore remained approximately 266 kilometres away.

Importantly, the report did not establish that pollution from India played no role. Instead, it concluded that the available evidence was insufficient to attribute Lahore’s post-Diwali pollution specifically to fireworks across the border.

Why Identifying the Source of Lahore’s Smog Is Difficult

Air pollution rarely comes from a single source, particularly during the winter months in northern South Asia. Vehicle emissions, construction dust, industrial activity, agricultural residue burning and fireworks can all contribute to the concentration of harmful particles.

Weather conditions can make the problem worse. When winds are weak and atmospheric dispersion is limited, pollutants can remain concentrated near the ground instead of spreading out. This can lead to severe smog even when emissions do not increase dramatically.

Cross-border pollution adds another layer of complexity. Air masses can travel across national boundaries, carrying smoke and particulate matter from one region to another. However, determining the precise contribution of individual sources requires detailed monitoring and scientific analysis.

The PAQI report noted that distinguishing fireworks emissions from agricultural smoke would require chemical analysis of particulate matter. Elements such as potassium, strontium and barium can help identify the contribution of fireworks, but the report said Pakistani monitoring stations did not measure these substances.

Without such analysis, it is difficult to determine how much of the pollution came from fireworks, crop-residue burning or other sources. Wind direction and satellite observations can provide useful information, but they do not independently establish the exact contribution of each emission source.

Crop-Residue Burning and Vehicle Emissions Also Contribute to Winter Smog

Crop-residue burning is a recurring contributor to seasonal air pollution across parts of India and Pakistan. Farmers sometimes burn agricultural waste after harvesting, releasing smoke and fine particles into the atmosphere.

These emissions can combine with pollution from vehicles, factories, construction activities and other urban sources. When weather conditions prevent pollutants from dispersing, the combined effect can produce severe smog across large areas.

The PAQI assessment detected thousands of likely crop-residue fires in Pakistan’s Punjab between October 1 and November 9. It reported 16,714 likely farm fires during the period and found that Lahore’s average PM2.5 concentration stood at 126 micrograms per cubic metre.

The report also identified a relationship between upwind fire activity and pollution levels in Lahore. On days when air trajectories passed over areas where burning was taking place, average PM2.5 concentrations were higher than on days without the same pattern.

However, the assessment cautioned that this association did not establish the precise contribution of agricultural fires. Stagnant weather and reduced atmospheric dispersion were also important factors in the accumulation of pollution.

Vehicle emissions and construction dust remain additional sources of concern in major urban centres. These sources operate throughout the year and can contribute to the pollution burden even when seasonal agricultural burning or fireworks are not taking place.

Delhi Also Records Severe Pollution After Diwali Celebrations

While Lahore faced extremely unhealthy air, Delhi also experienced a sharp deterioration in air quality following Diwali celebrations on November 8. The Indian capital recorded an AQI of 370 at 9 am on November 9, placing it in the “very poor” category. Several neighbourhoods recorded readings above 400, entering the “severe” category.

Firecrackers continued to be used despite restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court, which had permitted only certified low-polluting fireworks during specified hours over the Diwali weekend.

Indian government data indicated that firecrackers accounted for nearly 55 per cent of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on the day following the celebrations. This provides evidence of the contribution of fireworks to pollution in the Indian capital, but it does not establish their contribution to Lahore’s air quality.

The contrast between the two cities also demonstrates why regional pollution assessments need to consider local emission sources and atmospheric conditions separately. A major pollution event in Delhi does not automatically mean that the same sources account for pollution levels in Lahore.

India-Pakistan Dispute Over Cross-Border Air Pollution

The latest accusations have revived an earlier disagreement between India and Pakistan over the movement of pollution across their shared border.

In 2024, Pakistan similarly blamed crop-residue burning in India’s Punjab for worsening its air quality. Indian weather officials disputed the explanation at the time, saying that wind direction indicated airflow was moving from Pakistan towards India.

Such disagreements highlight the difficulty of managing air pollution when emissions travel across national boundaries. Even when the movement of polluted air can be established, identifying the original source and measuring its contribution can be challenging.

The issue also has implications for environmental cooperation. Air pollution does not follow political borders, and efforts to improve air quality in one country can be undermined by emissions travelling from another region.

Effective responses therefore require reliable monitoring, transparent data sharing and coordinated action against major sources of pollution. Without comparable measurements and scientific assessments, public discussions can become dominated by competing political claims rather than evidence-based solutions.

What the Lahore Pollution Episode Means for Public Health

The immediate concern surrounding Lahore’s pollution is its impact on residents. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of fine particulate matter can affect respiratory and cardiovascular health, particularly among people who are already vulnerable.

During severe smog episodes, residents may experience irritation of the eyes and throat, coughing and breathing difficulties. People with asthma or other respiratory conditions can face additional challenges when pollution levels rise sharply.

Children, older adults and people with existing heart or lung conditions are particularly vulnerable. Reducing unnecessary outdoor activity during severe pollution periods and following official health guidance can help limit exposure.

However, short-term precautions cannot replace long-term pollution control. Addressing the problem requires action against multiple sources, including vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, construction dust and agricultural burning.

Better air-quality monitoring is also essential. More comprehensive measurement of particulate matter and its chemical composition would help authorities identify the sources responsible for pollution episodes and design more targeted interventions.

Why Cross-Border Cooperation Is Important

The pollution affecting Lahore and northern Indian cities demonstrates the regional nature of the winter smog problem. Since air masses can move across borders, individual countries cannot address every source of pollution independently.

India and Pakistan face several similar environmental challenges, including agricultural residue burning, urban vehicle emissions and industrial pollution. Both countries also experience weather conditions that can trap pollutants close to the ground during winter.

Improved cooperation could help establish more reliable regional monitoring networks, share information about wind patterns and identify pollution hotspots. Joint scientific assessments could also reduce disagreements over the contribution of different sources.

Such cooperation would not require either country to abandon its domestic environmental policies. Instead, it would help authorities understand how pollution moves across the region and where coordinated action could deliver the greatest benefits.

Key Facts About Pakistan’s Allegations Over Lahore’s Toxic Air

• Lahore’s AQI: The city recorded an AQI of 263 on November 10, ranking as the world’s most polluted major city for a second consecutive day, according to IQAir.
• PM2.5 concentration: IQAir reported levels 37.2 times higher than the WHO’s annual guideline.
• Pakistan’s allegation: Punjab Environment Protection Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb blamed pollutants drifting from India after Diwali fireworks.
• Scientific assessment: The Pakistan Air Quality Initiative questioned whether the available evidence supported attributing Lahore’s pollution specifically to Indian fireworks.
• Other pollution sources: Crop-residue burning, vehicle emissions, construction dust and industrial activity also contribute to winter smog.
• Delhi’s air quality: Delhi recorded an AQI of 188 on November 10, ranking second among the world’s most polluted major cities in IQAir’s assessment.

Is India’s Diwali Fireworks the Main Reason Behind Lahore’s Pollution?

Pakistan’s allegation has drawn attention to the possibility that pollution from Diwali celebrations travelled across the border and contributed to Lahore’s deteriorating air quality. Wind observations indicate that air moved from Indian territory towards parts of Pakistan during the relevant period.

However, the available evidence does not establish that Indian fireworks were the main reason for Lahore’s pollution. The Pakistan Air Quality Initiative questioned that attribution, pointing to the distribution of pollution across cities, agricultural fires and the role of weather conditions. It also highlighted the lack of chemical measurements needed to distinguish fireworks emissions from other sources.

The more complete picture is that Lahore and northern India are facing a shared seasonal air pollution crisis involving several overlapping sources. Identifying the contribution of each source requires detailed scientific monitoring rather than relying solely on political statements or the timing of events.

As winter pollution intensifies, the priority for both countries will be to protect public health, improve air-quality monitoring and reduce emissions from the activities responsible for the region’s recurring smog.