Multiple flights cancelled as Karachi wakes up to foggy morning

Karachi experienced heavy fog on Sunday morning, causing very unhealthy air conditions and flight disruptions.

A motorcyclist died in a road mishap due to the hazy weather conditions.

Fog and low visibility were reported in several areas, including the Super Highway, Surjani Town, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, I.I. Chundrigarh Road, Clifton, and Defence.

According to updates on the Karachi airport website, multiple flights were delayed or cancelled during the morning hours. Pakistan Airports Authority spokesperson Saifullah Khan confirmed that six international flights scheduled to land in Karachi had to be diverted as a safety precaution due to poor visibility.

A Pakistan International Airlines flight from Madina was also diverted to Muscat, while a Fly Jinnah flight arriving from Jeddah was rerouted to Islamabad.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that shallow fog covered the Rahim Yar Khan-Karachi Highway and Karachi-Lasbella Highway between 8am and 11am.

Air quality monitoring platform IQAir recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 282 around 11:30am, indicating “very unhealthy” air conditions in the city.