A freezing cold wave gripped Punjab and Sindh, blanketing plains with dense fog that brought daily life and mobility to a halt, 24NewsHD TV Channel reported on Sunday.
According to the report, the Motorway Police announced the closure of major routes, including Motorway M-5 from Rahim Yar Khan to Ghotki and Motorway M-4 from Khanewal to Abdul Hakeem, early Sunday morning.
Motorway Police spokesperson Syed Imran Ahmad stated that the closures were enforced to ensure public safety amid near-zero visibility conditions. He advised travellers to plan their journeys between 10 am and 6 pm when visibility improves.
"Drivers should use front and backlights, maintain safe distances between vehicles, and avoid unnecessary travel," he emphasised, adding that assistance is available via Helpline 130.
This severe weather disruption underscores the impact of the seasonal fog and cold spell in Punjab, affecting both road safety and routine activities.
It was partly cloudy in Lahore on Sunday morning, as the sun and clouds played hide-and-seek, while a cool breeze blowing at the speed of two kilometers per hour helped slightly reduce the air pollution.
The AQI in the city of gardens was recorded at 291, making it the second most polluted city in the country.
The AQI over Phase-8, DHA was recorded at 841, over Askari-10 at 678, over Power Zone head office at 628 and over Block A, Johar Town at 613.
Similarly, it was 553 at Raiwind, 538 at Polo Ground Cantonment and 416 at the University of Management and Technology.
The Met Office said that the maximum temperature in the city would go up to 20 degrees Celsius while it would remain 8 degrees Celsius on the minimum side.
It, however, said that despite partly cloudy weather, chances of rain were only five per cent.
The Met Office predicted cold and dry weather for most parts of the country except the upper areas where it said rain was expected at a few places during the next 24 hours.
Reporters: Rana Faran Yameen and Afshan Rizwan