Pakistan, Oct. 21 -- LAHORE - India's capital, New Delhi, has once again become the world's most polluted city after its Air Quality Index (AQI) soared to 924 early Tuesday, pushing Lahore to second place with an AQI of 248. The alarming rise in air pollution came immediately after the Diwali celebrations, during which heavy use of fireworks significantly worsened air quality across northern India. Environmental experts have expressed serious concern over the region's deteriorating air conditions, warning of severe health risks and long-term environmental damage.

The thick layer of smog that engulfed New Delhi is now spreading toward Pakistan's Punjab region, threatening to further worsen Lahore's air quality. The cross-border movement o...