Snow covers roads, vehicles and trees in Galiyat, Abbottabad, pushing temperatures below zero. Photo: PPI
LAHORE:
Heavy snowfall and dense fog continued to disrupt transport across Pakistan, causing road closures in northern regions and widespread delays to rail services as winter weather intensified early in the new year.
Authorities closed the Murree Expressway (N-75) to general traffic from Phulgran Toll Plaza towards Murree due to hazardous conditions caused by continued snowfall. The route remains open to residents and emergency vehicles. Officials said additional machinery and personnel from the National Highways Authority (NHA) have been deployed to clear snow and restore traffic as soon as conditions improve.
The closure comes amid a surge of tourists heading to hill stations following the first major snowfall of the season in Murree, Galiyat, Nathiagali and Thandiani. Abbottabad and its surrounding areas also received snowfall and rain, further intensifying the cold weather.
The Galiyat region witnessed snowfall on the first day of the new year, while power supply along the Abbottabad-Murree highway was suspended due to slippery conditions. Shogran recorded more than five inches of snow, while Kaghan district received more than five inches, complicating travel in the region.
Rain and snowfall persisted in Azad Kashmir for the third consecutive day. Heavy snowfall was recorded in the Neelum and Leepa valleys, while intermittent rains in Muzaffarabad led to the closure of several link roads due to unsafe conditions.
In its weather advisory issued on January 1, 2026, the PMD warned that snowfall could lead to road closures and slippery conditions in Naran, Kaghan, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Shangla, Astore, Hunza, Skardu, Murree, Galliyat, Neelum Valley, Bagh, Poonch and Haveli.
The department also warned about the risk of landslides and avalanches in upper KP, GB and Kashmir.
The PMD also forecast that fog is likely to persist over the country’s plains during the morning and evening hours. Dense fog in these areas severely disrupted railway operations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at stations and facing long delays.
