Heavy fog on Monday forced the closure of several sections of motorways in Punjab, severely disrupting traffic and daily life.

According to a spokesperson for the Motorway Police, the M-2 motorway has been closed from Thokar Niaz Baig to Hiran Minar, while the M-3 has been shut between Dakhana and Faizpur.

The M-4 motorway is closed from Pindi Bhattian to Abdul Hakeem, the M-5 from Zahir Pir to Sher Shah, and the M-11 from Lahore Main Toll Plaza to Sambrial.

Severe fog has also affected sections of the national highway, prompting the Motorway Police to advise citizens to avoid non-essential travel and exercise extreme caution while driving.

Authorities said dense fog has blanketed large parts of Punjab, reducing visibility to dangerously low levels.

As a result, traffic on motorways and highways has been badly affected, with vehicle speeds slowing significantly in some areas and traffic coming to a complete standstill in others.

Additional closures include the M-4 from Faisalabad to Multan, the M-5 from Multan to Rohri and from Zahir Pir to Sher Shah, and the M-11 from Lahore to Sialkot due to persistent fog.

On the national highway, areas including Chichawatni, Kassowal, Iqbal Nagar and Mian Channu are also experiencing dense fog, causing difficulties for commuters.

The Motorway Police spokesperson said the closures were implemented to ensure public safety and urged motorists to avoid unnecessary travel and follow precautionary measures while driving.

Meanwhile, air pollution levels have risen sharply in several cities in Punjab.

Lahore has been ranked the world’s second most polluted city with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 293, while Karachi ranked third with an AQI of 213.

Faisalabad has been declared the most polluted city in Pakistan.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department said a weak westerly weather system is expected to enter the country from Monday night, bringing light rain and snowfall over the mountainous areas of Gilgit-Baltistan and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Rain and snowfall are also forecast for Kashmir, Murree and the Galiyat region.