Pakistan has been ranked as the most polluted country globally, followed by Bangladesh and Tajikistan, according to the 2025 World Air Quality report by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company. India ranks sixth in the assessment, which evaluates data from monitoring stations in 143 countries.
The report highlights how only 13 countries met the World Health Organization’s annual PM2.5 guideline, with 130 out of 143 countries exceeding these recommendations. Alarmingly, every highly polluted city is located in India, Pakistan, and China, with India’s Uttar Pradesh city, Loni, at the top of the list.
This alarming trend is exacerbated by wildfires affecting regions with historically low pollution levels. Long-term commitment to air quality improvement is imperative, as children face irreversible respiratory damage from pollution. The report warns that safeguarding air quality will require proactive and sustained efforts.
(With inputs from agencies.)