highest annual average PM2.5 concentrations globally, a trend underscored by the fact that 17 of the world's region. Of the 358 cities across 10 regional countries included in the 2025 Report, 71 cities reported annual average concentrations exceeding 50 μg/m3, more than ten times the current WHO guideline. While India a consistent regional pattern of elevated concentrations. evidenced at the national level; Bangladesh, Pakistan, Range of 2025 average PM2.5 (μg/m3) across regional cities above the 50 μg/m3 threshold. This persistent pollution is fueled by a combination of industrial and vehicular emissions, brick kilns, construction dust, and seasonal crop burning. Major capital cities such as Dushanbe, Dhaka, and Delhi faced particularly extreme conditions in 2025, with each city recording at least two months where concentrations surged above 100 μg/m3. Given the high population density in these urban centers, these sustained pollution levels represent a constant and significant threat to public health. South Asia. This highlights the heavy reliance on non- infrastructure gaps. A key development in closing this gap occurred in September 2025, when the Punjab time data dashboard providing public access to air quality information covering 10 major cities.53 However, coverage remains uneven; even in India network, significant data gaps persist in rural areas. Expanding both government operated and community-