Punjab motorways, highways closed as visibility drops to near zero

Thick fog disrupted traffic across Punjab on Sunday as visibility dropped sharply on major motorways and national highways, 24NewsHD TV Channel reported.

Motorway authorities said the M-2 motorway had been closed from Lahore to Kot Momin due to dangerously low visibility, while the M-3 motorway was shut from Faizpur to Samundri. 

Traffic was also suspended on the M-4 from Sham Kot to Abdul Hakem and on the M-11 from Lahore to Sialkot, with officials advising motorists to avoid unnecessary travel until conditions improve.

Meanwhile, dry and cold weather continues to grip most parts of the country, including Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. 

In Islamabad, the maximum temperature is expected to reach 19 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is expected to fall to 3 degrees. Light winds at 5 kilometres per hour kept the capital shivering throughout the day.

Karachi also remains under a persistent cold spell. The minimum temperature hovered between 14 and 16 degrees Celsius, and the Pakistan Meteorological Department predicted a maximum between 27 and 29 degrees Celsius. 

The current temperature stood at 14 degrees as westerly winds swept the city, with moisture levels recorded at a high 85 percent.

The Met Office forecast that several parts of Karachi are likely to receive rainfall from January 22 to 23. 

At the same time, the city’s air quality continued to worsen, ranking Karachi as the seventh most polluted city in the world on the Air Quality Index (AQI).

Lahore fared even worse, becoming the third most polluted city globally, with its AQI reaching a hazardous 339. The temperature in the provincial capital stood at 6 degrees Celsius, with winds blowing at 4 kilometres per hour. Dense fog blanketed the city early in the morning, reducing visibility and intensifying the ongoing cold wave.