Rain clears Islamabad’s hazy skies

Islamabad: Residents of Islamabad woke up to clean, fresh air on Saturday morning as rain overnight helped clear the hazy skies that enveloped the capital city for several days.

The downpour significantly improved air quality, which previously reached hazardous levels above 200 to the relief of those affected by health issues due to the air pollution.

It also dropped temperatures, bringing a welcome touch of winter chill to the air. The Met Office forecast more rain and snowfall in the upper regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir over the next 12 hours.

However, dry and cold weather will be reported in the rest of the country.

The temperature recorded in major cities on Saturday morning was 13°C in Islamabad and Peshawar, 17°C in Lahore, 22°C in Karachi, 6°C in Quetta, 11°C in Gilgit, 7°C in Murree, 12°C in Muzaffarabad.

Families turned to parks and recreational spots, including Pir Sohawa, Daman-i-Koh, Lake View Park, Fatima Jinnah Park, Shakarparian, Shahdara and Chattar, in large numbers.

The chilly weather also prompted high sales of snacks like ‘samosas’ and ‘pakoras.’