Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Fog has engulfed the plains of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces as the mercury dropped to chilly weather in most parts of the country on Sunday. Swat Expressway has been closed from Chakdarra to Swat Toll Plaza and Motorway M-I was closed from Rashkai to Swabi due to poor visibility.
The fog has engulfed Punjab’s plains from Lahore to Ahmedpur East including Pindi Bhattian, Sangla Hill, Faislabad, Pensara, Pattoki, Okara, Lodharan, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan. Several sections of the motorway’s M-II, M-III and M-V sections have been closed due to poor visibility caused by prevailance of thick fog. Motorway M-II has been closed from Kot Momin to Lahore for vehicular traffic, M-III section closed from Faizpur to Darkhana Interchange and M-IV from Pindi Bhattian to Faisalabad.
The motorway police have also warned drivers to observe caution in view of poor visibility. In Sindh foggy morning prevails in Sukkur and Shaheed Benazirabad divisions, while motorway M-V has been closed from Sukkur to Rahim Yar Khan. Minimum temperature has also dropped in the port city of Karachi between 12–14 ºCelsius on Sunday, which will likely to further drop between 10–12 ºCelsius on Monday, according to a weather report of Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).
Weather Expert on Sunday urged that the motorists should avoid unnecessary travel in the prevailing foggy conditions and warned drivers to take extra safety precautions during morning and evening due to dense fog and low visibility. Director Pakistan Meteorological Department Dr. Khalid Malik talking to media said road accidents were reported in Punjab due to low visibility following negligence of drivers to ignore fog lights caution.
He said after recent rain, fog was disturbing the early morning domestic and international flights, rail services and vehicular movement on motorway, adding, cold and foggy conditions were likely to continue in plain areas of Punjab, upper Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, in a bid to remain safe during the spell of dense fog, traffic police issued travel advisory for road users and warned motorists to use fog-lamps and advised people to go out only if it was extremely necessary, he mentioned.
It was very important for drivers to keep a safe distance with other vehicles, use headlights on low beam or fog lights, and to avoid using hazard warning lights unless they have completely stopped or are driving extremely slowly.
