Record-high pollution makes thousands ill in Pakistan

A cyclist wearing a mask as smog envelops Lahore (K.M. Chaudary/AP)

Record-high air pollution in Pakistan’s Punjab province has prompted authorities to close more schools and keep government employees at home, as doctors reported an increase in people seeking treatment for smog-related ailments.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, a senior minister in the Punjab province, urged residents to voluntarily wear face masks and avoid unnecessary travel, and said that “otherwise, the government will be forced into a complete lockdown”.