Due to bad weather, fog and reduced visibility, 10 flights of different airlines were cancelled and many were delayed at different airports of the country.
According to airport sources, PIA flight PK 302 from Karachi to Lahore was delayed, while Emirates, Air Sial, Air Blue, PIA and China Air flights were cancelled at Karachi Airport.
Three flights departing from Lahore Airport were delayed. PIA flight PK 302 from Lahore to Karachi was also delayed. Similarly, Air Sial flight 786 from Lahore to Dubai was scheduled for 2pm, three hours late.
PIA flight PK 305 from Lahore to Karachi, which was scheduled for 10 pm, was delayed. Saudi Air flight 729 from Islamabad to Jeddah was also delayed. Air Sial flight 723 from Multan to Jeddah was scheduled for 4 pm, four hours late.
Lahore’s air quality remained alarmingly poor, with the city recording an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 225, placing it in the very unhealthy category.
The concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was measured at nearly 30 times higher than the World Health Organization’s annual guideline value, posing serious health risks, particularly for children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
Fog and smog continued to blanket the provincial metropolis on Sunday, while the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast cold and dry weather to prevail over the next 24 hours. The dense fog severely disrupted routine life across several parts of Punjab, leading to the closure of multiple sections of motorways due to extremely low visibility.
Rail operations were also affected, with the departure schedule of trains from Lahore to Karachi facing delays as a result of poor visibility conditions. Officials said continental air was prevailing over most parts of the country, contributing to the persistent cold spell.
They further predicted that cold and dry weather would continue across most regions, with very cold conditions expected in hilly areas, particularly during morning and night hours. Moderate to dense fog was likely to persist in Punjab, upper Sindh and the plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, potentially causing further disruptions to road and rail traffic.
Ministry of Education Punjab has announced winter vacations for all public and private educational institutions, including schools and colleges, from 22 December 2025 to 10 January 2026.
However, it has been observed that certain private educational institutions have chosen to turn blind eye to those orders.
According to source, these institutions have neither issued any formal notification regarding winter vacations for their students nor complied with the officially notified schedule. Instead, students have reportedly been instructed through WhatsApp messages to resume classes from 6 January 2026, which appears to be in clear violation of the concerned orders.
The development has rung alarm among parents and education circles, who have urged to take notice of the matter and issue clear directions to all private educational institutions across the province to strictly comply with the officially notified duration of winter vacations.