Urgent: Pakistan Motorways Experience Widespread Closures
Dense fog has compelled the National Highways & Motorway Police (NHMP) to temporarily shut down critical sections of five major motorways across Pakistan. These widespread motorway fog closures are a necessary action to ensure public safety as visibility significantly dropped across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Consequently, many travelers face delays and disruptions in their plans, highlighting the severity of current weather conditions.
Affected Routes and Sections During Fog Conditions
According to the latest situation update, the following crucial stretches are currently closed to traffic:
- M-1: Peshawar to Rashakai
- M-2: Thokar Niaz Baig to Hiran Minar
- M-3: Faizpur to Jaranwala
- M-4: Multan to Shorkot
- M-11: Lahore to Sambrial
The NHMP issued this specific advisory at 8:40 PM GMT on January 18, 2026. This important update followed earlier alerts as weather conditions deteriorated throughout the day. Furthermore, the persistent fog continues to spread across various routes, necessitating these swift closures for commuter safety. Travelers should remain vigilant for updated announcements.
Navigating Motorway Travel During Dense Fog
Historically, the Motorway Police implement these crucial road closures every winter. They aim to prevent dangerous pile-ups and severe traffic accidents when visibility severely restricts safe braking distances. Therefore, officials consistently urge commuters to exercise extreme caution during these challenging conditions. Specifically, they advise avoiding non-essential night travel in dense foggy conditions, maintaining significantly low speeds, using fog lights correctly, and strictly adhering to official alerts until visibility significantly improves. These proactive measures are vital for ensuring public safety on all affected motorways throughout Pakistan during periods of dense fog. Understanding these motorway fog closures and adhering to guidelines can save lives.
