Markets and restaurants in Punjab will be closed at 8 p.m. starting today.

The provincial government of Punjab said today that, per the instructions of the Lahore High Court, all markets in four major divisions of the province, namely Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Multan, will immediately close at 8 o’clock in the evening.

A notice was issued by Director General of Environment Imran Hamid Sheikh stating that all shopping centers, stores, and restaurants in these divisions are required to comply to the new schedule. No changes will be made to the limitation until November 17th.

In addition to prohibiting eating at outdoor tables, the order forbids the impacted divisions from hosting public events like festivals and concerts. Except for bakeries, pharmacies, and medical supply businesses, the ban does not apply. According to the directive, major supermarkets may also maintain regular business hours.

Smog is affecting an increasing number of patients, so the environmental department has decided that the ban will be in place from November 11th through the 17th.

As part of a series of actions to rein in Punjab’s worsening air pollution, the Lahore High Court issued more directives on November 8. As part of a hearing on citizen petitions to reduce pollution, Justice Shahid Karim ordered that all province markets close at 8 o’clock every evening and entirely close on Sundays.

Heavy trucks and cars that release smoke are a big cause of pollution in Lahore and the surrounding areas, the court said. Motorways and ring roads are off-limits to vehicles that release smoke as a result of the court’s ruling.

A key source of air pollution and smog, it argued that the provincial government should limit the access of trucks and trawlers to the metropolis.