Widespread heavy fog has gripped various regions of the country, leading to the closure of major motorways and causing disruptions in traffic.
As a precautionary measure, traffic has been rerouted from Ismailia on the Swat Expressway due to a significant drop in visibility. The M1 motorway, connecting Islamabad to Peshawar, is currently not operational, and the M2 is closed from Lillah to Islamabad, impacting the travel plans of commuters.
In the southern regions, heavy traffic entry from Lahore to Kot Momin on the M2 has been halted, posing challenges for those on the road. The M3 is facing closure for heavy traffic from Faizpur to Darkhana, and the M4 is closed for traffic from Multan to Pindi Bhattian, both areas affected by dense fog.
The M5, in the stretch from Multan to Zahir Pir, is also closed for heavy traffic, further complicating travel plans for motorists. Moreover, the M14 motorway is temporarily shut down from Hakla to Dera Ismail Khan, adding to the list of affected routes due to adverse weather conditions.
The adverse weather conditions have also led to multiple flight cancellations and diversions, significantly impacting operations at Islamabad International Airport. Visibility dropped below 150 meters in the federal capital, posing a serious safety concern for aircraft operations.
In response to these conditions, several inbound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights, including PK-182 from Sharjah, PK-162 from Abu Dhabi, and PK-168 from Al-Qasim en route to Islamabad, were diverted to Lahore, as confirmed by a PIA spokesperson. The spokesperson emphasized the airline’s commitment to passenger safety and the well-being of airport staff.
Numerous other flights were affected, including cancellations for flights PK-451/452 to Skardu, PK-211/212 and PK-233 to Dubai, and PK-308 to Karachi. Additionally, flight PK-236 from Dubai to Lahore was canceled, while flight PK-726 from Riyadh to Lahore is scheduled to be diverted to Karachi.
