Pakistan ’s smog situation has gone from bad to worse as air pollution rose to a record in Lahore. Sensors tracked by the Swiss monitor IQAir recorded an air quality index of 1,300 in the country’s second-largest city at 5 p.m. local time, the highest this year and well beyond a level of 50 that is deemed safe.

Toxic smog has shrouded Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore for days as surging pollution spurs authorities to curb activities and set up a panel to oversee preventive efforts. Here is a look at what causes the hazardous air,

The air quality index is alarmingly high in Pakistan and India. This week, smog has drastically reduced visibility, obscuring views of landmarks such as the Taj Mahal in Agra. Consequently, many flights have been delayed.

Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province, has seen its air quality plummet to hazardous levels, earning it the rank of the world's most polluted

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,

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.