Pakistan has been named the world’s most polluted country in 2025 with dangerous levels of fine particulate matter well above international health limits, Dawn reported on Tuesday. This comes after the country ranked first in the Global Terrorism Index 2026.
According to an annual report by Swiss air quality monitoring company IQAir, concentrations of PM2.5, tiny particles in the air that can cause serious health problems, were recorded at up to 13 times the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to the report, only 13 countries and territories managed to keep average PM2.5 levels below the WHO’s recommended limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2025, up from just 7 in 2024.
However, most parts of the world continued to struggle with poor air quality. The report cited by Dawn said 130 out of 143 countries and territories monitored did not comply with the WHO guideline.
Bangladesh and Tajikistan were ranked second and third among the world’s most polluted countries last year, the report added.
It also noted that only 14% of cities worldwide met the WHO air quality standard in 2025, down from 17% the previous year. The researchers said part of the decline was linked to massive wildfires in Canada that raised PM2.5 levels in the United States and even parts of Europe.
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Countries and territories that remained within the air quality limit recommended by the WHO included Australia, Iceland, Estonia and Panama.
At the same time, several Southeast Asian countries showed improvement. Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia saw significant declines in PM2.5 levels, mainly because wetter and windier La Niña conditions improved air quality.
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Mongolia also saw a 31% drop in average PM2.5 concentrations, bringing the level down to 17.8 micrograms per cubic meter.
Overall, IQAir said 75 countries saw a decrease in PM2.5 levels in 2025 compared to the previous year, while 54 countries saw an increase in pollution, Dawn reported.
Pakistan ranks first in the global terrorism index
Pakistan topped the Global Terrorism Index for the first time after recording a 6% increase in terrorism-related deaths in 2025. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2026 released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, Pakistan witnessed 1,139 deaths last year, indicating a worsening security situation.
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The report, which measures the impact of terrorism in 163 countries, said Pakistan’s “strained” relations with neighboring countries, especially Afghanistan, along with increasing attacks by the outlawed Pakistan Tehreek-i-Taliban and the Balochistan Liberation Army, have led to serious security concerns.
It further noted that the number of terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan has reached its highest level since 2013, with the country recording 1,139 deaths and 1,045 incidents in 2025. The TTP has been identified as the “deadliest” terrorist group in Pakistan and the third deadliest in the world.
