LAHORE, Dec 26: Two people were killed and 21 others suffered injuries in road accidents occurred in dense fog in Lahore that also continued to blanket the plains of Punjab and Sindh on Wednesday.

The Met office in the meantime forecast a two to three-day spell of rain and snowfall over upper parts of the country that will reduce fog in the plains but further dip temperatures.

According to police and Rescue 1122, Abdullah, 18, was run over by a speeding car on College Road which was blanketed by thick fog. Abdullah was crossing the road and died on the spot.

Wasif was hit and killed by a truck on Ferozepur Road.

Rescue 1122 reported that 21 people were injured in road accidents in various parts of the city.

Meanwhile, thick fog continued to blanket Lahore and several cities in Punjab and Sindh. In Lahore visibility reduced to mere 50 meters.

The maximum temperature was 14 degrees C and the minimum on Tuesday night 3 degrees C because of fog.

The fog-bound motorway was closed from Pindi Bhattian to Lahore during the early hours of Wednesday because of poor visibility. The National Highway too remained covered by thick fog on Tuesday night and on Wednesday morning, causing immense problems for travellers. Lahore airport too was closed because of unfavourable aviation conditions caused by thick fog. Many foreign and domestic flightswere delayed by several hours, causing a great deal of convenience to passengers and their relatives.

Temperatures further dipped in the plains because of fog, and over the hills. Parachinar was the coldest place with a minimum temperature of -10 degrees C. It was -8.5 in Astore, -6 in Gupis, -5 in Hunza, -6.5 in Kalam, -9.6 in Skardu and -3 in Dir.

The Met office hoped less fog on Thursday night because of a cloud cover to be given over upper parts of the country by a fresh westerly wave.

It forecast rain and snowfall over upper parts of the country and in Rawalpindi division in the next two days which would prevent forming of fog but further intensify winter.

It said another weather system, presently giving rain/snow over Iran and Afghanistan, was heading towards Pakistan and expected to enter it on Thursday evening/night.

Under the influence of this weather system, scattered rain was expected over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab, Northeast Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir from Thursday evening to Saturday. Good amount of snowfall was expected over the hills of upper KP, Gilgit-Baltistan, Galliyat, Murree and Kashmir on Friday and Saturday.

Barani areas of Punjab and KP would receive good rainfall during the period that would be beneficial for the crops.

Severe cold wave was likely to grip most parts of the country during the weekend and mean temperatures were expected to fall by 4 to 6 degrees C at a number of places in the country. Fog was likely to subside in parts of Punjab from Friday due to the expected rain.

Motorway police have advised people to travel on the fog-covered roads between 10am and 6pm, drive slowly, maintain safe distance, and ensure that the fog lights and wipers of their vehicle were in working condition and before starting the journey contact motorway police helpline 130 for guidance about road and weather conditions.

They were asked to open the windows of their vehicles a little to hear well, use wipers and defrosters for maximum visibility, do not stop on a freeway or heavily travelled road to avoid a pile-up, drive with low beam lights as high beams are reflected back off the fog and actually impair visibility even more, and keep the windshields and headlights clean.

The Lahore airport authorities too have asked people to leave for the airport only after getting precise information about their flights so as to avoid trouble during the foggy weather.