LAHORE: Heavy fog has led to the closure of the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway (M-11) and various other Motorways in Punjab.
The Motorway Police has urged motorists to travel only during safer daylight hours, ideally from 10 am to 6 pm, when fog begins to lift, and visibility improves.
Travelers are advised to delay non-essential journeys until conditions clear. Motorway Police are appealing to the public to stay off the roads unless necessary.
Spokesperson Syed Imran Ahmed said, “The motorway has been closed to protect lives and prevent major accidents as visibility remains alarmingly low”.
He warned that lane violations during fog can lead to deadly crashes, asking all drivers to strictly follow lane discipline, avoid hustling, and keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead.
“We request the public to cooperate. Safety is our top priority,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier Fog-Related Motorway Crashes
There is a grim history of motorway tragedies. In one earlier incident on nighttime fog, a pile-up on the same Lahore-Sialkot Motorway left at least seven people injured when several vehicles collided.
Over the past 12 years, there have been 23 major multi-vehicle pile-up accidents on Pakistan’s motorways. Out of which nine of them just happened in the last two years, resulting in 29 deaths, 146 injuries, and significant damage to vehicles.
National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) also recalled a fog-related crash last year on the M-4 motorway near Faisalabad.
In that case, an official vehicle lost control and overturned as dense mist severely impaired visibility, injuring six personnel.
“This season’s fog only reinforces why we repeatedly urge drivers to postpone non-essential journeys,” said the NHMP spokesperson, stressing that safety must come first.
Commuters seeking travel advice or real-time updates can call the NHMP helpline at 130. Authorities assure that M-11 will reopen only when conditions are safe again.
