ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab Mohsin Naqvi announced a holiday in Lahore and its surrounding areas for Friday, November 10, in an effort to alleviate the smog that has shrouded the region in recent weeks.

The Punjab region, straddling India and Pakistan, faces severe air pollution during winter as farmers burn crop stubble, contributing to smog compounded by emissions from low-grade diesel.

Earlier this month, the pervasive smog led schools in the province to notify parents via text message to provide their children with face masks for a month.

The Lahore High Court also responded to the crisis, instructing the provincial government to declare a “smog emergency” and tackle the underlying causes and mitigate its impact.

“Pakistan will observe a national holiday on November 9, and to continue efforts to reduce smog, we will also close schools and offices on November 10,” the interim chief minister declared in a news conference, referencing the holiday on Thursday for the birth anniversary of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, one of the country’s founding fathers.

He informed that his administration had held a meeting earlier today and decided to declare the additional holiday right ahead of the two-day weekend, aiming to offer a four-day break to help lessen smog levels.

Naqvi disclosed the government was penalizing farmers who burn crop residue and was monitoring the situation closely.

He informed the media that factories would not be closed to protect workers’ daily wages.

The chief minister urged residents to ensure children and the elderly wear masks and recommended that people stay indoors from Thursday unless it is essential to leave the house.