LAHORE: Fog continued to disrupt life in some cities in Punjab and Sindh for the fourth day running on Wednesday, also causing closure of motorway at some points.

According to the motorway police, it was closed to all kind of traffic from Khanewal to Multan, Faisalabad to Gojra and Lahore to Kot Momin on Tuesday night because of extremely poor visibility caused by a blanket of thick fog. They were reopened to traffic after visibility improved on Wednesday.

Okara, Sahiwal, Mian Cha­nnu and Kasur were the worst hit and remained fog bound till Wednesday morning.

The Met department said fog reduced visibility to 20 metres in Kasur, 30 in Narowal, 50 in Kot Addu and Layyah, 100 in Bhakkar and Jhang, 150 in Sialkot, 300 in Sukkur, 400 in Bahawalpur, 500 in Hafizabad, Okara and Gujranwala, 200 in Joharabad, 800 in Multan and Lahore and 700 in Jhelum.

The Met department re­por­ted extremely cold wea­ther over the upper parts of the country. The minimum temperature of Skardu was -12 °C, Astore -8, Kalat, Gupis -7, Kalam, Gilgit -6, Rawalakot -5, Quetta, Dir, Hunza -4, Murree, Malamj­abba, Bagrote -3, Chillas, Drosh, Kakul, Risalpur, Balakot -2, Lower Dir, Mir­khani, Kamra, Saidu Sharif, Parachinar, Garidupatta, Dalbandin -1.

The department has forecast dense/shallow foggy conditions in the plains of Punjab, upper Sindh and Peshawar division during Wednesday night and on Thursday (today). Cold and dry weather is expected in most parts, and very cold weather in northern parts of the country in the next 24 hours. Frost is also expected in upper parts of the country during morning hours.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2018