LAHORE: At least seven people were injured on Tuesday after six trailer trucks collided on the Multan–Sukkur Motorway (M-5) due to severely reduced visibility caused by dense fog.

The crash occurred on the section between Zahir Pir (Rahim Yar Khan) and the Multan Sher Shah Interchange, which had earlier been temporarily closed because of poor visibility and later reopened.

According to Rescue 1122, multiple trucks travelling on the motorway rammed into other trucks that had stopped due to the fog. Multan Rescue 1122 spokesperson Arshad Hussain confirmed that six trucks were involved in the pile-up. Seven people were injured, including two who had to be pulled out of a truck during the rescue operation.

National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) spokesperson Imran said the fog forced the closure of the M-5 section from 6am to 11:30am. The shutdown compelled thousands of commuters to switch to the National Highway, causing heavy congestion.

Traffic was diverted from Zahir Pir to Uch Sharif, Alipur and Muzaffargarh, creating severe traffic jams near several interchanges — including Zahir Pir, Uch Sharif, Jhangra, Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujabad.

The NHMP said the closure was necessary for motorists’ safety, warning that lane violations during fog could lead to major accidents. Authorities urged motorists to travel between 10am and 6pm, use fog lights, avoid overspeeding, maintain safe distances and avoid unnecessary journeys.

The Meteorological Department has forecast dense fog in multiple districts of Punjab from Tuesday through Thursday, including Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur and Sahiwal. Fog is also expected in Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha and Jhelum through mid-week.

Despite widespread fog, the Met Office website showed no fog alert issued for M-5 until at least 11pm.

Earlier this year, similar fog conditions caused major disruptions across Punjab, affecting motorway operations, flights and train services.