Islamabad’s air quality remains unhealthy despite reduction in fog

ISLAMABAD: In a welcome development, visibility in the federal capital improved on Wednesday in the early hours, following three consecutive nights of dense fog.

The improved conditions were evident not only in Islamabad but also in major areas of Rawalpindi, contributing to a smoother flow of traffic on the twin cities’ major roads with no significant reductions in visibility reported.

At 3:25 AM, the temperature in Islamabad was recorded at around 5 degrees Celsius, with the daytime high expected to reach 18 degrees, according to the AccuWeather weather forecast platform.

While there is no forecasted probability of thunderstorms for the day, the residents are urged to stay cautious.

Despite the improved visibility, concerns persist about the air quality in Islamabad. The latest data from AccuWeather indicates that the air quality remains hazardous.

Additionally, the Air Quality Index (AQI) from another prominent air quality monitoring platform rates the air quality at 165, categorising it as unhealthy.

Of particular concern are the pollutant levels, with the PM2.5 concentration in Islamabad currently at 16.7 times the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) annual air quality guideline value.

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