ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been caught by an unforgiving spell of winter, and the country’s hill stations are suffering the most.
According to the meteorological department, the extreme weather will persist as a “strong westerly weather system is likely to enter western parts of Balochistan on Friday (night) and likely to grip most parts of the country on Sunday.”
“Heavy snowfall is also expected in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Kohistan, Neelam valley, Bagh and Haveli districts from Sunday to Monday,” said the met office. “Murree and Galiayat may also receive heavy snowfall during the period.”
It added that the “possibility of landslides cannot be ruled out in districts of Malakand, Hazara, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir during the period.”
According to the met office, winter season is expected to be wetter than usual due to more rainfall and extended spells of the westerly weather system.
Earlier this week, the Punjab School Education Department extended winter vacation till January 12 in the wake of frosty weather in the province.
Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the provincial administrations of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to set up shelters and arrange food for the underprivileged and homeless.
“Given the extremely cold weather conditions, I have asked CMs [chief ministers] of Punjab & KP [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] to ensure that no person is left out without shelter; & their administrations must take immediate action to provide temporary shelters plus food for those who cannot be accommodated in existing Panagahs [shelters],” Khan tweeted.
