The government also imposed lockdown on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the two major cities of Punjab.

As smog affected Punjab for many weeks and sickened nearly two million people, the government declared health emergency as a measure to combat smog.

Addressing the press conference, the senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced the declaration of health emergency as toxic air pollution was taking heavy toll on people’s health in smog-stricken Lahore and Multan.

The senior provincial minister Aurangzeb also heighted her government’s initiatives to mitigate the harmful impacts of smog.

Under the emergency, holidays for medical staff have been cancelled to ensure their availability in hospitals. The government has shut the education institutions including, schools, colleges, and universities and urged them to shift to online method. By imposing lockdown in both major cities of Punjab, government halted construction work in the two cities.

“Smog has become a health crisis,” Aurangzeb stated.

The Punjab’s senior minister also mentioned that government had launched 10-year plan to combat the chronic issue of smog.