January 5, 2006	Thursday	Zilhaj 4, 1426

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LAHORE, Jan 4: Poor visibility led to the temporary closure of the Allama Iqbal Airport on Wednesday, disrupting the arrival and departure of almost all domestic and international flights. Six Karachi-bound flights were cancelled while a special flight took off on Wednesday afternoon around 24 hours after its scheduled time.

The Lahore-bound flight from Toronto (PK-790) could land at 2pm against its scheduled of 8.20am, the flight from Chicago (PK-794) arrived at 4.30pm instead of 10am while the flight from Dubai (PK-404) reached at 10am instead of 3am.

The Abu Dhabi flight PK-261 was scheduled to take off at 10.55am but it departed at 1.20pm, the New Delhi flight PK-270 3.12pm instead of 2.30pm, the Glasgow flight PK-777 at 12.20pm instead of 3am while the Houston flight PK-713 at 1.52pm against its scheduled time of 6am.

The Islamabad flight PK-356 took off at 9.30am instead of 8am, the Islamabad flight PK-386 at 3.07pm instead of 2pm, the Islamabad flight PK-602 took off at 3.50pm instead of 3.15pm, the Islamabad flight PK-618 at 2pm instead of 11am.

The Multan flight PK-385 took off at 12.15pm against its scheduled time of 9.30am, the Multan flight PK-623 at 4.45pm instead of 3.30pm.

The Bahawalpur flight PK-601 flew at 2.15pm against its scheduled time of 12.30pm, the Dera Ghazi Khan flight PK-617 at 9.45am instead of 7.15am.

Most of the upcountry trains arrived here four to nine hours late.

The Karachi Express (15-up) could reach Lahore at 7.30pm instead of 10.30am, the Karakorum Express (41-up) at 11.30am instead of 7.30am, the Awam Express (13-up) at 1pm instead of its scheduled time of 8am, the Allama Iqbal Express (9-up) at 1.15pm instead of 9.30am, the Jaffar Express (39-up) at 3.30pm instead of 12 noon, the Tezgam (7-up) at 6.45pm instead of 1.15pm and the Chiltan Express (21-up) at 2pm instead of 10.30am.

Against its arrival time of 9pm, the Khyber Mail (1-up) had not arrived till midnight on Wednesday.

Freight and container trains also reached late their destinations.