The cloud which has been caused by air pollution forced authorities to close schools and flea markets this week in Pakistan’s most populous province, including Lahore, in the east of the country, which has emerged in one of the world’s worst cities in terms of hazardous air quality.

“The government has decided to close the outdoor markets for four days, from November 9 to 12, in the major cities of Punjab because of the cloud, on the recommendation of the health ministry,” said Amir Mir, the information minister of Punjab, where themore than 110 million people.

Smog envelops areas of Lahore, Pakistan. (AP Photo/KM Chaudary)

Schools, offices, restaurants and businesses – in addition to essential services such as pharmacies, hospitals and courts – will all close to limit residents’ outdoor movements, according to a provincial government directive.

In the capital of the province, Lahore, air quality today was the worst in the worlds, according to Swiss group IQAir, with air quality index values ​​in the “hazardous” category at 432. It is followed by the Indian capital New Delhi at 302 and the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi at 204.

THE increasing industrialization in South Asia in recent decades it has triggered an increase in pollution from factories, construction activity and vehicles in densely populated areas.

The problem becomes more acute during the colder fall and winter months as the temperature inversion prevents a layer of warm air from rising and traps pollutants closer to the ground.

Dense fog blanketed Lahore this week, limiting visibility and causing concern among residents who complained about the risk to their health.

“The weather is such that everyone has throat and eye problems and everyone’s health is affected,” says Muhammad Salahuddin, a private security guard in Lahore.

Rising air pollution can reduce life expectancy by more than five years per capita in South Asia, one of the world’s most polluted regions, according to a report published in August.

In neighboring India, authorities in New Delhi announced they would restrict vehicle use next week to reduce rising air pollution as air quality in the capital remained dangerous despite efforts to tackle the problem.