RAWALPINDI: Thick fog persists over the twin cities and many parts of Punjab, causing Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA) to suspend operations for 13 hours between 11:30pm on Saturday and 12:30pm on Sunday.

The flight schedule was suspended when a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Karachi-bound flight PK 319 had to come back to the parking bay number 7 due to poor visibility after taxiing for takeoff at 11:40pm on Saturday, an airport source said.

On account of the bad weather, 18 domestic and international flights, including those of PIA, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Kuwait Airways, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines and several others had to be delayed.

The flight inquiry desk at BBIA confirmed that flight operations resumed after 12:30pm on Sunday after the fog cleared up.

A spokesperson for PIA said due to the weather conditions and a forecast for it over the next three days, the airline had rescheduled some of its flights.

He said passengers should check flight timings with PIA by calling at 021-111- 786-786 or 051-111-786-786.

Meanwhile, the city’s traffic police advised motorists to be cautious while driving because of poor visibility.The traffic police have also launched a campaign regarding driving in thick murk when visibility is poor and distributed pamphlets at Airport Road, The Mall and Jhelum Road.

A spokesman for the traffic police said no accidents had been reported over the last 24 hours.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2016