Punjab with a population of 127 million has been struggling to combat smog since last month.
“Over 1.8 million people visited hospitals and private clinics in the smog-hit districts in Punjab in the past 30 days, and most of them had been suffering from respiratory-related diseases and burning of eyes,” said Ahsan Riaz, a spokesman for the health department.
The closure of schools in the entire province came more than a week after officials shut schools in 18 smog-hit districts there. Toxic smog has shrouded Pakistan’s cultural capital of Lahore and 17 other districts in Punjab since October.
It forced the government last week to close all parks and museums for 10 days.