The Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M5) was closed on Tuesday from the Multan Sher Shah Interchange to Zahir Pir in Rahim Yar Khan due to dense fog hampering visibility, according to the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP).
The M5 section is part of the Lahore–Karachi Motorway network and is operational up till Sukkur. Tuesday’s closure forced thousands of travellers to shift to the National Highway to reach their destinations.
Following the closure, traffic was diverted onto the National Highway from Zahir Pir to Uch Sharif, Alipur and Muzaffargarh to access Multan and Rahim Yar Khan.
The disruption inconvenienced commuters travelling to Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujabad tehsils of Multan district.
Heavy traffic congestion was reported near several interchanges, including Zahir Pir, Uch Sharif, Jhangra, Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujabad, after the motorway closure.
In a statement, the NHMP spokesperson said the decision was taken to ensure the safety of motorists as visibility had dropped significantly along the affected stretch.
Fog was also reported on parts of the National Highway, including Basti Malook, Lodhran and Bahawalpur.
The spokesperson said lane violations during fog could lead to serious accidents and urged motorists to strictly adhere to lane discipline.
He advised citizens to travel during the daytime between 10am and 6pm. He also instructed motorists to use fog lights, avoid unnecessary travel, maintain a safe distance from other vehicles and refrain from overspeeding.
The spokesperson later confirmed to Dawn that the closure of the M5 was implemented at 10:30am. He said that the interchanges will be opened after an improvement in visibility.
