ISLAMABAD – At least 22 persons had died after their vehicles were stranded amid heavy snowfall and traffic congestion in the country’s most favorite hill station Murree.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Saturday shared the shocking development after more than 125,000 vehicles entered the mountain resort town which caused a severe traffic jam.
Meanwhile, rescue operations are underway as govt called Pakistan Army and other civil-armed forces to rescue stranded tourists.
اسلام آباد : 8 جنوری
مری جانے والے سیاحوں کے لئے اہم پیغام https://t.co/Tc0IG0EDvh@GovtofPakistan @PTVNewsOfficial pic.twitter.com/FntGcTQZFZ— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) January 8, 2022
Rashid mentioned that thousands are still stranded as the routes to Malka-e-Kohsar are closed due to heavy snowfall.
To avoid further casualties, the administration has closed the road from Islamabad to Murree while platoons of the armed forces have been called in for rescue efforts, while Rangers and Frontier Corps will be deployed on an emergency basis.
Jhika Gali to Lower Topa Road being cleared speedily AC Murree and DSP Traffic are monitoring the road clearance operation.
100 cars have been rescused so far .@GovtofPunjabPK @CS_Punjab @ctprwp pic.twitter.com/EPHrD8XCFc— DC Rawalpindi (@DCRawalpindi) January 8, 2022
The administration also warned the citizens not to leave their homes in severe weather or turn to Murree as severe weather conditions are likely to continue till late at night.
The local residents of Murree provided food and blankets to those stranded, adding that the administration had closed all routes to the hill station and was allowing only vehicles planning to take food and blankets.
Emergency declared in calamity hit region
The Punjab government has declared Murree a calamity hit region and declared an emergency. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar has ordered to open state-owned rest houses and public offices for stranded tourists after the situation deteriorated.
Buzdar while ordering to expedite the rescue operation for the safe evacuation of the people trapped in Murree said that all resources should be utilized to evacuate the tourists to safer places, necessary relief items should also be provided to the tourists.
He also directed to send additional machinery and staff from Rawalpindi and other cities to the calamity-hit region.
