Flights schedule suspended, traffic on roads affected
MUZAFFARGARH: While visibility was reduced to less than 30 metres and temperatures fell to 2 degree centigrade due to intense cold and fog in plains of Punjab, at least 11 people were killed in various road accidents on Sunday.
Five members of a family were killed in an accident due to fog near Noor Kubra. The family was going to Dera Ghazi Khan on a motorcycle. When they reached near Noor Kubra, they hit against a trailer due to fog, resulting in their death on the spot. They were identified as Sonara Khan, his wife Rukhsana, sister Naseem, sons Ahmed and Ahsan from Multan. DSP Irfan Butt and rescue teams reached the spot. Police have registered a case against the driver and started an investigation. In Hafizabad, a woman was killed while 22 others were injured in two separate accidents in Hafizabad District on Sunday due to fog. A wagon (LES-6300) was going towards Sialkot from Chenab Nagar. When it reached near village Sandhwana Tarar (Hafizabad), it struck against a trailer coming from the opposite direction due to fog. As a result, 18 passengers were injured. They were rushed to the DHQ Hospital, Hafizabad, by Rescue 1122 where treatment was started.
In the second accident, a speedy truck hit a wagon near Pindi Bhattian Interchange due to thick fog. As a result, a woman Ruqaya Bibi died on the spot and four others were injured. Both the drivers managed to escape. According to Rescue 1122 Narowal, a van hit a pedestrian Naseer Iqbal who was shifted to a hospital where he succumed to his injuries. In village Bhijna, four persons were critically injured. In Isakhail, a college student Qaiser Khan hit his car against footpath and died on the spot while his friends got injured, two of them critically. In Zafarwal, a youth died in a coaster collision with a motorcycle. The coaster driver fled in thick fog. Police station Lasser Kalan has started an investigation.
News Desk adds: A Mardan-bound bus hit a pole near the Wah Cantt, injuring seven people. In Sarai Alamgir, Hameeduddin died in a traffic acident due to thick fog, while three others were injured. Near Garh Maharaja, a speedy motorcycle slipped while saving a person who was crossing road. However, he was shifted to a hospital. In two traffic accidents in Noorkot, one person died and several got injured.
Meanwhile, fog prompted suspension in flight operations while traffic on Motorway, National Highway and GT Road was seriously affected by thick fog as visibility ranged from 30 to 60 meters.
Fog also forced closure of flight operations at Benazir International Airport Islamabad where six arrival and
20 departure flights were
suspended.
Met office has forecast fog in next 24 hours in Punjab, Peshawar and Upper Sindh, while weather is forecast
to be dry. Temperature
ranged from 12 Celsius to 2 Celsius.
APP adds: Eight people sustained injuries as a van collided with a truck near here on Sunday.
According to Rescue 1122 the marriage party van collided with a truck near Gujjar Chowk on Khanewal road due to fog.
Rescue 1122 shifted six injured to Nishtar Hospital while first aid was provided to the other two.