Tag: Fog

  • Heavy smog blocks motorway again

    Heavy smog blocks motorway again

    Thick fog in the plains of Punjab has severely affected inter-city travel. Due to heavy fog, Lahore-Sialkot Motorway is closed, while M-2 Motorway from Lahore to Farooqabad, M4, Shurkot Interchange to Gojra and Multan-Sukkur Motorway are also suspended.

    Rain and snowfall are likely in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and adjoining hilly areas today.

    Many regions of the country are in the grip of severe cold and during the last 24 hours, Kalam was the coldest region of the country with a temperature of minus 9 degree Celsius recorded.

    On the other hand, cold weather has returned to Karachi after heavy showers spread out over two days. However, the air in Karachi and Lahore is still polluted, while the air quality is relatively better.

  • Passenger slaps pilot for delay in flight

    Passenger slaps pilot for delay in flight

    In a video that has gone viral, a passenger rose in fury from his seat to slap a pilot who was announcing a delay in the flight.

    The incident took place on IndiGo’s 6E2175 service from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport to Dabolim in Goa. The plane was scheduled to take off at 7:40 am but, according to flight tracking website FlightAware, departed at 5:33 pm, after prolonged delays, including heavy fog limited visibility, and an enforced change of crew due to flight duty time limitations.

    The disturbing video of the assault – widely shared online – also shows the IndiGo crew rushing to help the pilot and members of the cabin crew hysterically remonstrating with the passenger identified as Sahil Kataria, telling him (in Hindi), “You can’t do this… you can’t do this!”. To which he responded, “Why can’t I do this? Why can’t I?”

    Addressing the passenger, the air hostess said that what he did was very wrong. The other passengers also blamed Indigo for delaying flights.
    The passenger, later taken into custody by the security staff.

    The plane pilot lodged a complaint against the passenger with Delhi Police, based on which an FIR has been registered and further investigation is underway.
    In a lengthy post on X, Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the “unprecedented fog” had led to, at times, “zero visibility” and this had forced authorities to shut down operations on the Delhi airport’s runways.

  • Canal and wuzu water to be used to sprinkle on roads

    Canal and wuzu water to be used to sprinkle on roads

    The Lahore High Court has directed the Water And Sanitation Agency (WASA) to use stored canal and ablution water for sprinkling the roads to combat dust, reports Geo.

    Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court heard petitions for remedying smog, in which federal government’s lawyer Asad Bajwa. appeared in the court.

    During the hearing, the court said that in light of the commission’s report, WAPDA should take immediate action against the industries, the stored water of the canal, and ablutions should be used for sprinkling the roads. If not, WASA will be responsible for violating the court orders.
    The court said that keep things simple and not make things difficult, set new resolutions and targets for the new year, in the new year we have to commit to keeping the environment of the world clean.

  • Dhund nay kar dia safar mushkil

    Dhund nay kar dia safar mushkil

    A thick blanket of heavy fog has descended on different parts of Pakistan, severely impacting visibility and causing widespread transportation disruptions.

    Adverse weather conditions have compelled authorities to take precautionary measures, resulting in the closure of main highways and affecting air travel.

    The impact of the fog extends beyond Lahore, spreading as far as Mandi Bahauddin, Pindi Bhatian, Kot Addu, and Uch Sharif.

    Residents and commuters in these regions are urged to exercise caution and adhere to any instructions issued by local authorities.

    Sialkot and its surrounding regions, including Pasrur, Daska, and Sambrial, are grappling with reduced visibility levels, significantly disrupting traffic flow. Commuters are advised to stay informed about the latest weather updates and road closures to ensure their safety.

    The fog has not only affected ground transportation but has also disrupted air travel. Multiple flights have been canceled, and others delayed, impacting cities in Sindh and Punjab.

    The closures of major motorways, including the M2, M3, M4, M5, and M11, further compound transportation challenges.

    In addition to the transportation disruptions, the air quality in Lahore has deteriorated, earning the city the unfortunate distinction of being the most polluted in the world.

    Meanwhile, dense fog in various cities of Sindh and Punjab has led to operational challenges for flights. The Pakistan International Airliner (PIA) spokesperson emphasizes the importance of obtaining flight information from the PIA Call Centre before heading to the airport, considering the potential disruptions caused by the fog.

    Over the past week, a total of 32 flights destined for Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore, and other Punjab airports had to be redirected to Islamabad International Airport due to the prevailing fog conditions.

    “Severe fog ongoing in the country has affected PIA flights from Lahore, Multan and Sialkot airport,” the airline’s spokesperson, Abdullah Khan, said in a statement, adding the PIA apologized for any inconvenience caused due to these operational challenges.

    “Low visibility and intensity of fog pose difficulties in flight operations,” he added. “Flights from Lahore, Multan, and Sialkot may be canceled, changed or delayed due to fog.”

    Khan noted that flight operations were usually affected in these cities in winter.

    “All passengers are urged to obtain information about their flights from the PIA call center before heading to the airport,” he added.

    Unusual Winter Conditions Across Northwest India:

    Meanwhile, across Northwest India, including Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, a thick blanket of fog has descended, impacting visibility levels. Despite the fog, winter temperatures are milder than usual for this time of the year.

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that night temperatures in north-western states remain higher than normal, with at least 2-3°C above-normal readings in several regions. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 7.8°C, one degree above normal, with daytime temperatures reaching 22°C.

    Meteorologists attribute the warmer winter to the absence of strong western disturbances, traditionally responsible for winter rainfall over North India. Additionally, global warming is increasingly influencing weather patterns throughout the year, delaying the onset of winter and reducing the intensity of cold waves.

  • Motorways closed due to intense fog in Punjab

    Motorways closed due to intense fog in Punjab

    The season of blinding fog has officially arrived in Punjab, complete with signs of restricted movement.

    M-2 route from Lahore to Kot Momin, M-3 from Faizpur to Darkhana, M-4 from Shamkot to Pindi Bhattian, and M-5 from Sher Shah to Zahir Peer were closed due to low visibility, reports Geo.

    Routes between Lahore and Sialkot is closed due to heavy fog whereas a section between Gojra and Faisalabad is also blocked for the same reason.

    The situation of smog is also an added factor in low visibility all over Punjab where Lahore still stands at number two in the air quality index with very unhealthy levels of air.

  • Heavy fog across Punjab disrupts air and road travel, info number provided

    Heavy fog across Punjab disrupts air and road travel, info number provided

    Heavy fog in cities across Punjab including Lahore, Faisalabad and Sialkot has disrupted air and road travel. According to Pakistan International Airways (PIA), four international flights had to be diverted to Islamabad because of foggy weather.
    According to a representative from Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Pakistan International Airways (PIA) four flights including PK-248 from Dammam to Lahore, PK-224 from Dubai to Faisalabad, PK-716 from Madina to Lahore via Karachi and PK-244 from Dammam to Sialkot had to be shifted to Islamabad after intense fog reduced visibility. The representative further explained that visibility at Multan Airport was poor till 2 pm, while at Lahore’s Alama Iqbal Airport fog had not reduced until 4 pm.
    The representative advised travelers to double check with their airlines for flight updates by either visiting the website www.caapakistan.com.pk or call the numbers 114, 0800 00114 and 111 222 114.

    Reports are also stating that railway networks are facing difficulties in Punjab as intense fog reduces visibility. A representative from Pakistan Railways Administration said that trains were traveling at low speed to take safety measures and prevent accidents.
    Due to these precautions, trains are late by six or seven hours to arrive at their destination. The Karakoram Express was late by up to six hours, while Karachi, Alama Iqbal and Khyber Mail Express arrived late at their destination by five hours

  • LHC extends winter vacations for Lahore’s schools and colleges due to smog

    LHC extends winter vacations for Lahore’s schools and colleges due to smog

    Due to rising smog, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday ordered the government to extend the winter break for all schools and colleges in the capital of Punjab by one week.

    The order was given by the high court as it heard a petition calling for action to reduce smog in the city. It stated that the government was in charge of implementing preventative measures after the smog.

    The Provincial Disaster Management Authority’s (PDMA) director general has also been called before the LHC for the next hearing.

    The change occurs while Lahore consistently ranks first among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world.

    All public and private schools in the province will be closed from December 24 to December 31 due to the earlier announcement made by the Punjab School Education Department. The reopening day for the schools was January 2, 2023. Now, on January 9, schools and universities will reopen.

    As low-grade diesel emissions, smoke from seasonal agricultural burnoff, and colder winter temperatures combine to form stagnant clouds of smog, air pollution has gotten worse in Pakistan recently.