Lahore, Pakistan, the "World's Most Polluted City," Chokes Under Acidic Smog

 Lahore, Pakistan, was the most polluted city in the world.

Punjab, Pakistan: An air quality monitor named Lahore, Pakistan, the most polluted city in the world on Wednesday as citizens breathing in noxious haze begged authorities to act.

According to IQAir, the Swiss technology company that runs the AirVisual monitoring platform, Lahore had an air quality ranking of 348, much over the hazardous range of 300.

For the love of God, find a cure for the lung disorders these children are suffering from, labourer Muhammad Saeed pleaded with AFP.

As low-grade diesel emissions, smoke from seasonal agricultural burnoff, and colder winter temperatures combine to form stagnant clouds of smog, air pollution has gotten worse in Pakistan recently.

Lahore, a bustling metropolis of over 11 million inhabitants in Punjab province close to the Indian border, frequently ranks among the most polluted cities in the world.

Residents have recently built their own air purifiers and sued the government in an effort to clear the air, but authorities have been hesitant to act, blaming India for the haze or claiming the statistics are inflated.

Shopkeeper Ikram Ahmed told AFP, "We are poor people, can't even pay a doctor's costs.

"We have no choice but to implore them to reduce pollution. Despite the fact that I am not literate, I have read that Lahore has the worst air quality. We shall perish if it continues in this manner.

Saeed, the labourer, said, "I used to come (for a walk) with my kids, but now I don't bring them out with me."