Dense fog disrupts road traffic across country

PMD says cold and dry weather is expected in coming days

LAHORE: Dense fog engulfed motorways and national highways in various parts of Punjab and upper Sindh on Sunday.

The road traffic disrupted owing to poor visibility in different parts of Punjab, including Lahore. Motorway section M-2 from Islamabad to Lahore was closed for traffic due to poor visibility, a spokesperson of the Motorway Police said.

He added that the motorway from Multan to Khaniwal, section M-5 from Rohri to Multan and section M-4 from Pindi Bhattian to Multan Cantt were also closed due to foggy conditions. The traffic was halted at the M-3 section, from Lahore to Darkhana, and the road was closed owing to dense fog.

Similar foggy conditions were also reported near Daharki, Pannu Aqil, Karamabad and Khairpur along Sukkur sections of the motorway while the Gambat Road was also blanketed by dense fog, he further said.

According to the spokesperson, fog also covered the national highways of Lahore, Pattoki, Okara, Sahiwal, Harappa, Chichawatni, Mian Channu, Khaniwal and Multan, besides engulfing the national highways of Basti Malook, Bahawalpur and Lodhran.

The fog blanketed most of the roads across the country owing to extreme cold weather conditions and air pollution.

Meanwhile, cold weather continued in Karachi as minimum temperature in the morning remained between 6 and 8 degree Celsius.

Minimum temperature of minus 14 Celsius was recorded in Leh, minus 11 in Ziarat and Kalat, minus nine in Quetta, minus eight in Kalam, minus seven in Dalbandin, Parachinar and Hunza, minus six in Malamjabba and minus four in Naukkandi, Panjgur and Zhob.

In a weather report, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecasted cold and dry weather in Karachi with 40 per cent humidity, as winds from north-eastern side are blowing in the metropolis.

According to the PMD, maximum temperature in daytime could go as above as 26 degree Celsius, as severe cold weather in Karachi is expected to last for a few more days. The temperature will hover between 7 and 9 degree Celsius in the coming days.

Karachi had recorded its coldest night in the last 10 years, when the mercury dropped to 5.6 degree Celsius during early hours of January 1.

As per the forecast, cold and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country, besides very cold conditions in the upper areas and Northern Balochistan. Dense fog is also expected in plain areas of Punjab and upper Sindh.

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