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

Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, was ranked as the world’s most polluted city last week, with a record-high pollution reading of 1,900 near the Pakistan-India border. Now, Pakistan’s Punjab gov

Toxic smog has shrouded Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore for days as surging pollution spurs authorities to curb activities and set up a panel to oversee preventive efforts.

The authorities in Lahore, home to 13 million people and the country’s second-biggest city, have told half the work force to stay home.

In the Punjab region of Pakistan, record-high air pollution levels triggered hospitalizations and school closures, as cities remain shrouded in a thick, toxic smog.