Pollution

Pakistan Named World's Most Polluted Country in 2025

Is air pollution a solvable global crisis or a systemic failure of governance and policy?

Published MAR 24

Pakistan Named World's Most Polluted Country in 2025

Story

Above: Commuters ride along a dusty street in Karachi, Pakistan, on Jan. 14. Image credit: Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images

The Facts

According to the 2025 World Air Quality Report published by IQAir on Tuesday, Pakistan ranked as the world's most polluted country in 2025, with PM2.5 concentrations averaging 67.3 micrograms per cubic meter — up to 13 times the World Health Organization's recommended limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Dw.Com
Gazeta Express
NDTV
Bangladesh and Tajikistan ranked second and third on the list of most polluted countries, while Loni, India, recorded the highest city-level PM2.5 average at 112.5 micrograms per cubic meter — more than 22 times the WHO guideline.
Anadolu Agency
Gazeta Express
IQAir
Only 14% of global cities met the WHO's annual PM2.5 guideline in 2025, down from 17% the previous year. The world's 25 most polluted cities were all located in India, Pakistan and China.
Anadolu Agency
NBC
Seventy-five countries reported lower PM2.5 levels in 2025 than in the prior year, while 54 reported increases. Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia saw notable reductions, largely due to wetter and windier La Niña conditions.
Anadolu Agency
NBC
The U.S. shut down its State Department global air quality monitoring program at embassies and consulates in March 2025, citing budget constraints. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air reported that monitoring efforts in 44 countries were weakened, and six were left without any monitoring.
Health Policy Watch News
IQAir
LiveNOW from FOX
IQAir's lead report author, Christi Chester Schroeder, said the U.S. data loss made it "appear there was a significant drop in PM2.5 levels" in Chad, adding: "the fact of the matter is that we don't know." Burundi, Turkmenistan and Togo were excluded from the 2025 report due to data gaps.
Arab News
Asharq Al-Awsat
NDTV

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Air pollution is a global crisis driven by fossil fuel combustion, and tackling it is a win-win for public health and the climate. Cutting harmful pollutants like PM2.5 reduces disease and death while also slashing greenhouse gas emissions. Smart policy, cleaner industry and stronger regulations are the only real path forward.

WHO

UNEP

Narrative B

Pakistan topping the 2025 World Air Quality Report is a damning indictment of failed governance and unchecked fossil fuel dependence. South Asia's pollution crisis is systemic, not accidental, driven by weak enforcement, coal reliance and rampant vehicle emissions. Real reform demands coordinated action, not hollow pledges.

The Wire

EuroNews

Narrative C

Air pollution metrics are often used to justify sweeping climate policies that overlook local realities. PM2.5 spikes frequently stem from natural variability, seasonal weather and urban density rather than fossil fuels alone — especially in poorer countries where energy poverty is a pressing concern. Overstating a global “crisis” risks misallocating resources, while targeted, local interventions may be more effective than broad decarbonization mandates.

New York Post