The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) have banned vehicles carrying sacrificial animals from entering motorways ahead of Eidul Azha to ensure public safety and smooth traffic flow.
In a statement, an NHMP spokesperson said overloaded, unfit, and poorly loaded vehicles often cause traffic accidents and congestion on motorways. Because of this, authorities will divert such vehicles to alternative routes.
The spokesperson said several serious accidents involving animal-loaded vehicles in previous years caused major loss of life and property. Keeping those incidents in mind, authorities have taken preventive measures this year.
The Motorway Police have also asked the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police departments to set up checkpoints near motorway entry points and cattle markets to stop unsafe vehicles from entering the motorway network.
Officials said the decision aims to protect travellers and reduce traffic problems during the busy Eid travel season.
Meanwhile, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has predicted that the Zil Hajj moon is likely to be sighted on May 17 (today).
A spokesperson for the space agency said the moon’s age at sunset will be around 18 hours and 30 minutes, which usually provides suitable conditions for visibility in many parts of the country.
The spokesperson added that the new moon is expected to be born at 1:01am on the same day.
Based on these calculations, the first day of Zil Hajj is likely to fall on Monday, May 18, while Eidul Azha is expected on May 27.
