Govt urges people to avoid travelling to Murree, northern areas

ISLAMABAD: Heavy snowfall has disrupted routine life in northern areas with thousands of tourists stranded in Murree and Galiyat region.

Taking to Twitter, Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry said hundreds of thousands of cars are heading towards Murree and other upper areas to enjoy snowfall.

It has become impossible for the local administration to provide facilities to such a large number of people, the minister said, urging people to postpone their trips to these areas for a few days.

مری اور دیگر بالائ مقامات کیلئے ایک جم غفیر رواں دواں ہے لاکھوں گاڑیاں ان علاقوں کی طرف جارہی ہیں مقامی انتظامیہ کیلئے اتنی بڑی تعداد میں لوگوں کو سہولیات پہنچانا ناممکن بن گیا ہے، جو لوگ ابھی گھروں میں ہیں ان سے درخواست ہے بالائ علاقوں کی سیر کا پلان کچھ دنوں کیلئے موخٓر کر دیں

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 8, 2022

Earlier, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said 16 to 19 people have died of cold in cars stuck in Murree. He said five platoons of the Pakistan Army have been called in to help rescue the stranded tourists.

The Islamabad deputy commissioner in a Twitter statement said roads leading to Murree have been closed since yesterday. Despite a ban on entry to the hill station, thousands of people still tried to enter the tourist spot but were turned away, he said, advising people to avoid travelling to Murree over the weekend.

اسلام آباد سے مری جانے کے راستے کل سے بند کر دئے گئے ہیں۔ سب سے گزارش ہے کہ آج اور کل مری کے لئے مت جائیں۔ پابندی کے باوجود لوگ آج ہزاروں کی تعداد میں آئے اور انہیں واپس بھیجنا پڑا۔ 🙏🙏

— Office of Deputy Commissioner Islamabad (@dcislamabad) January 8, 2022