Smog forces closure of Lahore-Islamabad Motorway, flight delayed
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The Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-II) has been closed to all types of traffic due to dense fog and smog that severely reduced visibility, reported 24NewsHD TV Channel on Sunday.
According to the report, the motorway from Lahore to Kot Momin was closed from 10 pm yesterday night, and traffic was halted to ensure safety.
Similarly, the Lahore-Multan Motorway and Motorway M-III, from Lahore to Durdana, were shut down for all vehicles starting from 12:15 am Sunday.
The Lahore-Sialkot Motorway was also closed completely from 11:15 pm the previous night due to extremely low visibility.
These closures led to significant delays, with long queues of vehicles forming at the Babu Sabu Interchange as motorists were forced to find alternate routes amid the worsening smog conditions.
Lahore Airport flights delayed:
Thick smog has significantly affected operations at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport, where visibility dropped to just 50 meters, as reported by airline officials.
Both domestic and international flights have been impacted, leading to numerous delays and rescheduling.
Flights arriving and departing from Lahore have faced considerable difficulties due to the dense smog.
For instance, AirSial’s flight PF 733 from Muscat experienced a 3-hour and 40-minute delay, while Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK 172 from Muscat was delayed by 4 hours and 15 minutes.
Additionally, PK 302 from Karachi was delayed by 4 hours, and PK 959 from Lahore to Jeddah by 3 hours and 30 minutes.
The Lahore-Karachi flights PK 6303 and PK 303 also faced delays of up to 4 hours.
Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines before heading to Lahore Airport to confirm flight timings due to the evolving situation caused by severe weather conditions.
Lahore-Sialkot Motorway reopens after visibility improvement
Following improvements in visibility, the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway has reopened, and traffic on Motorway M-II and Motorway M-III is now moving in a convoy format, according to Motorway Police spokesperson Syed Imran Ahmed.
Reporter: Rana Faran Yameen and Saeed Ahmad Saeed