Six killed, 27 injured in Punjab fog-related accidents

FAISALABAD: Two people were killed and three others were injured in a road accident due to a dense fog here on Tuesday.

A van was on its way when it collided with a trailer at the Adda Johal, Chak Jhumra. As a result, Mohsin Ramzan and Pervaiz Taj were killed on the spot while Saleem, Asad and Asghar were seriously injured. The injured persons were shifted to the Allied Hospital.

Hafizabad: Two people, including a woman, were killed while 16 others were injured in two road accidents due to fog here. In the first incident, a bus was going to Lahore from Islamabad when it collided with a truck near Sukheke. As a result, Nopara of Attock died on the spot while 15 others were injured. The injured passengers were shifted to the Pindi Bhattian and Sukheke hospitals.

In the second incident, a truck hit a motorcycle on the Lahore-Sargodha Road near Sukheke. As a result, Boota died on the spot while another man was injured seriously.

APP adds from Sargodha: Two men were killed while three schoolchildren sustained injuries in a road accident due to fog in the Sadr police limits. A van carrying schoolchildren was coming to the city when it collided with a truck parked along a road near Chak 33 Phatak.

As a result, drivers Ashraf and Afzal died on the spot while three schoolchildren Talha, Abu Bakr and Kaleemul were injured. They were shifted to the DHQ Hospital. Police have registered a case.

APP adds: Five persons were injured after collision of six vehicles due to dense fog in Sheikhupura. Rescue sources said that the injured persons were shifted to a nearby hospital. Six people are reported to have been killed and three injured in separate road accidents due to poor visibility caused by dense fog in various parts of the country. Several cities of Punjab, including Lahore, Sheikhupura, Muridke, Okara and Sahiwal remained under the grip of dense fog on the night between Monday and Tuesday, while the traffic flow remained disrupted on the Motorway and other highways. Two people were killed and three sustained injuries when a trailer hit a passenger bus on the Sheikhupra Road due to poor visibility.

The Motorway’s section from Lahore to Pindi Bhattian has been closed for all kinds of traffic as visibility was down to zero due to the dense fog. The Motorway Police appealed to drivers to use the GT Road for travel from Lahore to Pindi Bhattian besides driving slowly and switching on the fog lights. The Pakistan International Airlines has rescheduled some of its flights going to Lahore and other parts of the Punjab due to the heavy fog in order to avoid delays and diversions. A spokesman of the national flag carrier said on Tuesday the passengers were being requested to check the exact flight timings from the PIA call center before leaving for airports in the fog affected areas, especially for flights during evening, night and early morning.

He said the Lahore airport has ILS Cat3B system in place which supports landing in 50 meters visibility. PIA’s all Boeing 777 pilots have been trained for the ILS Cat3B as its training simulator is available in Pakistan. However, the A-320 pilots have to be sent aboard for training. They are being sent turn by turn and soon all pilots would get the ILS Cat3B training, the PIA spokesman added.

The Motorway M2 was closed for all traffic from Pindi Bhattian to Lahore because of the dense fog on Tuesday. A Motorway spokesman told Radio Pakistan that no vehicle was allowed to enter the Motorway from Lahore to Islamabad or Peshawar. However, he said the Motorway will be opened for traffic with an improvement in visibility after sunrise.

Met Office Director Dr Hanif has said the intensity of fog would rise during the next week in the upper areas of the country while snowfall was expected in the northern areas. Talking to PTV News, he said light rain was expected in the upper areas which would further increase the foggy conditions with duration of 14 to 16 hours.

He said snowfall was expected in the Northern Areas, including Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Naran, Kaghan, Hunza and Skardu, which would intensify the chilly weather. To a question, he said light rain was forecast in upper areas, including Islamabad plains of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu Kashmir during the next 48 hours.

He also suggested the people, particularly children, to wear warm clothes because cool winds would come from the hilly areas to increase the chill in weather. He said the rain would be beneficial for wheat farmers.