ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities closed key routes on the motorway on Saturday night as thick fog enveloped parts of the eastern Punjab province, the motorway police said in a statement, to save lives and reduce the chance of accidents due to reduced visibility. 

Punjab cities face worsening smog each winter, driven by crop burning, vehicle emissions and industrial pollution that threatens public health and daily life. The smog season typically begins in late October, peaks between November and January and can persist through February.

As per a statement released by the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP), the M-2 motorway was closed from Thokar Niaz Baig to Kot Momin, the M-3 motorway section was closed from Faizpur to Darkhana and the M-4 area from Pindi Bhattiyan to Abdul Hakeem was also closed. The M-11 route was also closed from the provincial capital Lahore to Sambrial. 

“The closure of motorways is aimed at ensuring the safety of life and property of the public,” NHMP’s central region spokesperson said in a statement. 

He warned that lane violations during the prevalent smog can cause accidents, adding that visibility on the National Highway ranges from zero to 100 meters.

“Citizens are advised to prefer traveling during daytime hours,” he said. “Safe traveling time is from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.”

The police spokesperson urged citizens to avoid overspeeding and advised them to keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead while driving. 

The development takes place as two of Pakistan’s largest cities, Karachi and Lahore, were ranked among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world by the Swiss air monitoring agency IQAir on Sunday morning. 

Karachi was ranked as the fourth-most polluted city in the world with an air quality index of 215 (very unhealthy) while Lahore was placed at number five with an AQI of 199 (unhealthy).