Pakistan's 10 Most Polluted Cities: Muzaffargarh Tops IQAir Ranking

Muzaffargarh Tops Pakistan’s Air Pollution Ranking as South Punjab Cities Feature in Top 10

October 14, 2026 | Environment | Saraikistan Data Report

Muzaffargarh ranked as Pakistan’s most polluted city in an IQAir live-ranking snapshot retrieved on October 14, 2026, with a US Air Quality Index (AQI) of 195. The ranking also placed Jhang Sadr and Multan among the country’s three most polluted cities in the snapshot.

The figures highlight the importance of monitoring air pollution across South Punjab and other parts of Pakistan. However, live AQI rankings change as new readings become available.

Pakistan’s 10 most polluted cities

According to IQAir’s published Pakistan city-ranking snapshot, the top 10 were:

Rank

City

US AQI

1

Muzaffargarh, Punjab

195

2

Jhang Sadr, Punjab

183

3

Multan, Punjab

182

4

Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

182

5

Kasur, Punjab

176

6

Faisalabad, Punjab

174

7

Kahna Nau, Punjab

167

8

Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab

166

9

Bahawalpur, Punjab

153

10

Hundal, Punjab

138

Source: IQAir’s real-time Pakistan air-quality city ranking, accessed October 14, 2026. The list is a snapshot, not a fixed daily or annual ranking.

What the figures mean

Under the US AQI scale, readings from 151 to 200 fall in the “Unhealthy” category. A reading of 138 falls in the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” category.

Fine particulate matter, particularly PM2.5, is an important air pollutant because these tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs. Poor air quality can pose additional risks to children, older adults and people with heart or lung conditions.

Why South Punjab matters

Six of the ten entries in this snapshot are from Punjab, including Muzaffargarh, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur. This makes air quality an important issue for residents and authorities across the province.

The ranking alone does not establish the causes of pollution in each city. Identifying the main sources requires station-level pollutant measurements, weather information and further investigation.

Saraikistan will continue reviewing published environmental data and official records to provide readers with transparent, evidence-based coverage of air quality across South Punjab and Pakistan.

Sources: IQAir Pakistan air-quality ranking; Punjab Government AQI Dashboard.

Editorial note: Rankings and readings can change during the day. The figures above reflect the retrieved IQAir snapshot and should not be presented as current readings at a later time.