ISLAMABAD: At least five people were killed and around 28 injured early on Wednesday when a passenger bus traveling from Rawalpindi to Karachi plunged into a ravine near Dhok Pathan in eastern Pakistan, after the driver diverted from a closed motorway due to dense fog, police said.

Poor visibility during Pakistan’s winter months frequently makes long-distance travel hazardous, prompting authorities to shut motorways and major roads during severe fog to prevent accidents. However, traffic mishaps involving both light and heavy vehicles are not uncommon during such conditions, sometimes triggering multi-vehicle pile-ups.

“A passenger bus traveling from Rawalpindi to Karachi plunged into a ravine near Dhok Pathan, killing at least five people and injuring around 28 others,” Adeel Sarfraz, a senior police officer and station house officer in the area near Chakwal, told Arab News over the phone.

“The accident occurred at around 2 a.m.,” he added. “Since the motorway was closed due to dense fog, the driver diverted the bus onto the GT [Grand Trunk] Road. However, the driver was unfamiliar with the route, and poor visibility caused by the fog led to the accident.”

Winter fog is a recurring hazard across Pakistan’s plains, particularly in Punjab and upper Sindh, where conditions can deteriorate sharply during late night and early morning hours.

Data shared by the Pakistan Meteorological Department earlier in the day showed extremely low visibility across several districts, with levels dropping to 30 meters in Narowal and Sheikhupura, 40 meters in Gujranwala and 50 meters in Faisalabad, Sialkot Airport and Toba Tek Singh.

Levels of 100 meters were reported in cities including Okara, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Sargodha, while some southern Punjab districts recorded relatively better conditions at around 200 meters.

The weather office warned that moderate to dense fog is likely to persist over much of Punjab, upper Sindh and plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, advising travelers — especially those driving on highways and motorways — to exercise caution during nighttime and early morning hours.

Road accidents are also common in Pakistan due to poor infrastructure, speeding and limited enforcement of safety regulations, with fog-related incidents adding to seasonal risks during winter.