The Pakistani province of Punjab is asking people to stay home as much as possible, halting in-person schooling and setting up a so-called smog war room in an effort to tackle record levels of air pollution that have choked the region. Hospitals report a spike in patients with respiratory and other smog-related conditions. The air quality index in Lahore recently soared as high as 120 times over recommended levels.

Muhammad Ishtiaq: “I’m struggling with shortness of breath and watery eyes, likely from poor air quality. I’ll stay home until it’s safe to venture out.”

Government officials say they are investigating ways to mitigate the pollution, including inducing artificial rainfall. The suffocating smog is brought about by a combination of crop burning, vehicular and industrial emissions and colder air.