20000105

Fog disrupts

air, rail traffic

in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: A pall of thick fog enveloping Peshawar and its surrounding areas on Tuesday disturbed all sorts of air and road traffic in the city.

Less visibility with a ratio of less than one kilometre in morning time, upsets the air schedule and all the incoming and outgoing flights were delayed or cancelled.

Only one flight for Chitral departed from Peshawar and a Karachi bound 'Bhoja' flight from Dubai landed in the afternoon, informed an official of Peshawar airport.

Whereas PIA flight from Dubai was cancelled and Emirates flight delayed. Similarly, a departing flight of PIA for Dera Ismail Khan was also cancelled.

Apart from air traffic, timing of trains coming from Karachi to Peshawar have also been delayed.

Only Khyber Mail reached Peshawar on Tuesday with three hours time behind at 10.00 a.m.

Similarly, other incoming trains i.e. Chinab Express, Abasin Express and Khushal Express has still not arrived and are expected to reach behind four to five hours.

The motorists also have to switch the lights on their vehicles at peak hours of the fog to avert any mishappening.

The Met officials when contacted said that visibility is improving and the sky will be cleared later. The humidity level in the air was 95 percent, he informed.

When asked about the continuation of foggy weather, the Met officials said that it will remain the same for few days. However, he continued, the fog is not so much thick and dull as was during last year.ÑAPP