Murree (Web Desk): Heavy snowfall in Murree has brought travel and daily life to a standstill. In the past few hours, up to 10 inches of snow has accumulated, forcing the closure of all major routes from Islamabad to the hill station. Vehicles are stranded on the roads, leaving tourists and commuters grappling with significant difficulties.
Hamza Humayun, Chief Traffic Officer of Islamabad, urged travelers to postpone their trips to Murree to avoid potential dangers.
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned that the region could see further rain and heavy snowfall over the next 24 hours, raising concerns that conditions may worsen.
A fresh winter spell is continuing to sweep across Pakistan, unleashing heavy snowfall, steady rain, thunderstorms, and severe cold across multiple regions.
Hill stations in the north, particularly Murree and the Galiyat belt, are buried under thick snow, while parts of Balochistan and Sindh are battling plunging temperatures.
Officials caution that the worsening weather pattern could create serious hazards for both commuters and local residents.
Murree alone has seen snowfall reaching nearly four feet, forcing the district administration to shut down tourist access to the area. Prolonged power breakdowns have left many neighborhoods without electricity, adding to the difficulties faced by people in the region.
Road clearance teams are working around the clock, and field officers remain deployed to manage the situation.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has indicated that snowfall is likely to continue through the night and into the next day.
In Punjab, northeastern districts are on alert for intense rainfall and possible hailstorms. Periodic rain is expected in Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal, Talagang, and Sargodha. Several other cities — including Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Kasur — are also forecast to receive scattered showers. The twin cities have already recorded up to 32 millimeters of rainfall, which has further deepened the cold spell.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) upper districts are preparing for moderate to heavy snowfall, while rain accompanied by thunder is predicted in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, and Kohistan.
Thunderstorms are also likely in Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Buner, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Peshawar, and Charsadda.
In contrast, most parts of Sindh and Balochistan are experiencing dry but bitterly cold weather.
Kalat and nearby regions are among the hardest hit by the cold wave, with temperatures falling as low as minus 12 degrees Celsius.
Snow accumulation of up to one foot has frozen stored water on rooftops, and the intense chill has left roads deserted.
The extreme conditions have severely disrupted daily routines, with many residents forced to remain inside their homes.