Pakistan’s Lahore becomes world’s 3rd most polluted city

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — An air quality monitoring outfit says Lahore has become the world’s third most polluted city as increasing smog has engulfed Pakistan’s cultural capital. The bad air has sickened hundreds with respiratory and other illnesses. Lahore ranked third behind Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar on the pollution index. That’s according to Switzerland-based air quality information platform IQAir. Increasing air pollution and smog have forced authorities to order a partial closure of schools in Lahore, once known as the city of gardens. Authorities say they closed some factories and some were fined for not using technology that helps in controlling pollution.