Dense fog disrupts flight schedule in Islamabad

Dense fog in Islamabad and its adjacent areas on Saturday morning caused substantial disruptions to bus, train, and flight schedules.

The Twin Cities, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, find themselves engulfed in heavy fog, severely impacting visibility and causing significant disruptions to traffic flow.

The fog also impacted flight schedule at the Islamabad International Airport.

One flight was cancelled and seven others were delayed due to the closure of the airport for landing and taking-off of planes. Visibility on the runway was just 50 meters.

According to the airport flight inquiry, three flights of PIA, two flights of Serene Airlines, one flight each of Gulf Airlines and China Southern were delayed.

While PIA flight 601 from Islamabad to Gilgit has been cancelled PIA flight PK 301 from Islamabad to Karachi was delayed by two hours, Serene Airlines flight ER 801 from Islamabad to Jeddah was delayed by three hours, Serene Airlines flight ER802 from Jeddah to Islamabad is delayed by 7 hours. Gulf Airlines flight GF770 from Bahrain to Islamabad was delayed by five and a half hours, China Southern Airlines flight CZ 6007 from Irqami, China to Islamabad was delayed by one hour and forty minutes.

National Airlines flight PK 300 from Karachi to Islamabad is delayed by one hour and PIA flight PK 742 from Jeddah to Islamabad is delayed by one hour.

Weather outlook

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicts mainly cold and dry weather for the region in the next two days.

As the fog persists, the PMD warns of reduced day temperatures in most parts of Punjab, with the plain areas of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Upper Sindh expected to remain under heavy fog in the coming days.

Under the current synoptic situation, continental air prevails over most parts of Pakistan, prompting authorities to advise commuters to stay informed and plan their travels accordingly.

Motorways, National Highways situation

In response to the adverse weather conditions, multiple sections of the country’s motorways have been temporarily closed.

The M1 motorway, connecting Islamabad to Peshawar, is closed for traffic, as confirmed by the Motorway Police. Similarly, the M2 motorway, from Chakri to Neela Dullah, and the M3 motorway, from Faizpur to Darkhana, are also temporarily shut down.

The M4 motorway, spanning from Shamkot to Abdul Hakeem, and the section from Abdul Hakeem to Pindi Bhattian are closed due to heavy traffic and poor visibility. Additionally, the M5 motorway, from Multan to Rohri, is inaccessible, as declared by the Motorway Police.

The National Highway N5 is also affected by the fog, and drivers are urged to exercise caution, according to the Motorway Police.

The National Highways & Motorway Police (NHMP) helpline at 130 is available for assistance, and official social media platforms provide regular updates.

In addition to the challenges posed by dense fog, the region is grappling with growing air pollution contributing to hazardous smog.

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