Weather alerts have been issued by the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) forecasting heavy rain and snowfall in Murree, Galiyat and surrounding areas until January 27.
As per PDMA officials, snowfall is expected in Murree and nearby regions and most districts of Punjab are likely to receive rain over the next two days.
Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia has advised tourists to check weather conditions before traveling and urged them to exercise caution.
Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed has directed all concerned departments to remain on high alert to prevent any untoward incidents.
Authorities said that the district administration will remain present to guide and protect tourists warning that rain and snowfall could disrupt traffic flow and make roads slippery.
Officials said that responsible behaviour and cooperation with the administration are essential to safeguard lives.
NDMA warning
Meanwhile the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has forecast rain in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir over the next 12 hours with snowfall expected in mountainous areas.
The NDMA has warned of possible traffic disruptions due to slippery roads and has advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel and follow precautionary measures.
Relevant departments have been instructed to stay alert for rescue operations and road clearance.
According to the eye witness After a long time, Murree witnessed an extraordinary spell of snowfall two days ago one of the heaviest in recent years.
“Residents of Murree, whose families, homes and livelihoods are in the area, found themselves treated the same way as tourists. The locals, unlike visitors, cannot simply be turned back. Their lives are tied to the region. While safety considerations are understandable, future policies must distinguish between tourists and residents” he added.
He siad that “Large parts of Murree’s residential and rural areas remained without electricity. The locals, particularly in villages, faced prolonged outages while temperatures continued to fall”.
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