Islamabad: Dozens of flights were delayed and at least four people were killed in fog-related accidents in Pakistan as dense fog engulfed parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces and the temperature dropped to 1 degree Celsius in Islamabad.
The thick fog reduced visibility to as low as 50 meters, causing delays and diversions in air and road travel. Pakistan Metrological Department said that dense foggy conditions are likely to continue in the plains of the country till next week in most parts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh provinces.
On December 26, thick fog with visibility less than 50 meters was reported between 8 pm to 5 am at Multan-Sukkur M5 motorway, Sialkot-Lahore, Islamabad-Lahore M2 and Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad-Multan M4, according to Met Office.
The national highways and motorways police issued a fog journey planner for travellers for the different motorways in the country. The highway police have advised the public to use the motorways between 11 am and 6:30 pm during the foggy season to avoid delays and accidents, and keep track of regular updates on social media.
Road accidents due to fog
The dense fog that blanketed different cities in Punjab also caused road accidents. Three people were killed in an accident on a fog-covered road near the Ahmedpur East in the Bahawalpur district of Punjab on the Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar road, rescue officials said. Rescue 1122 said that the driver rammed into a vegetable truck due to extreme foggy conditions and poor visibility.
In Faisalabad, one man died and 16 people were injured in several fog-related accidents on Sunday, according to local media. In the first incident, a motorcyclist died after he was hit by a mini-truck in the Marzipura area of Faisalabad. In a separate crash, eight people were injured when a bus hit a motorcycle-rickshaw on Toba-Chichawatni Road. In another incident, five persons were injured critically when two cars collided at Gojra. On the same day, a van rammed into a trailer laden with steel bars on Lahore Road in Faisalabad, injuring one person.
Flights diverted to Islamabad Airport
As many as 32 flights, mainly from Middle Eastern cities, were diverted to Islamabad Airport. The flights were diverted from Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan, Sialkot, and other airports in Punjab due to fog since Wednesday. Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spokesman told the media that the Islamabad airport has been under pressure for nearly a week as they had to accommodate 32 diverted arrival flights and managed a flow of 7,030 passengers from December 21 to December 25.
He said the CAA had efficiently accommodated the diverted flights along with the scheduled flights without any significant delays or major hurdles. The CAA also set up a dedicated task force, led by the airport manager, to cater to the rush and to coordinate with airlines, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Airport Security Force (ASF) for timely clearance of passengers by airlines and airport agencies. The task force is also coordinating with the staff of airlines to make arrangements for accommodation, food, and transport facilities for passengers.
