LAHORE, Pakistan — A Pakistani province declared a health emergency Friday due to smog and imposed a shutdown in two major cities. Smog has choked Punjab for weeks, sickening nearly 2 million people and shrouding vast swathes of the province in a toxic haze.

Punjab province in Pakistan has declared a health emergency and closed two cities due to severe smog affecting nearly 2 million people.

The Punjab government has declared a health emergency in the capital city Lahore and Multan as the relentless smog crisis takes a toll on the health and livelihood of millions across the