After many years, Rawalpindi was shrouded in dense fog, rekindling memories of the city’s traditional bitter winter and reducing visibility across residential areas, markets and major thoroughfares. From 6:30 to 10:00 a.m., thick fog covered streets, lanes, commercial centers, and all entry and exit routes into the city. Residents were forced to travel with vehicle headlights on, while even inner city roads and bazaars remained shrouded in fog well into the morning. The areas around the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) and District Courts experienced particularly low visibility, with objects barely discernible before 10am. The weather cleared only after 10, when the sun came out fully. Cloud cover accompanied the fog and further enhanced the cold spell. The fog and cloud cover revived memories of Rawalpindi’s historic icy winters. By early morning, dew covered the roofs, markets, vehicles, trees and flower pots, with droplets of condensation visible across the city. Due to the weather conditions, lawyers, judges and litigants arrived late at the District Courts, resulting in trials starting at 10.00 instead of the usual hours 9:00 a.m. Local elders, including Haji Chaudhry Imran and Hafiz Sajid Khan, said the fog seen on Tuesday is reminiscent of conditions 20 to 30 years ago. "Fog occurs every year, but its intensity has decreased over time. The fog seen on Tuesday really brought back the cold of previous decades," they said. Meteorological expert Professor Naveed Khan clarified the distinction between smog and fog, stating that fog is a natural weather phenomenon that forms when moisture in the air cools near the ground and condenses into small water droplets, creating a dense white or gray layer that reduces visibility.
"Fog is basically a cloud on the earth’s surface," he explained, adding that unlike smog, fog contains no dust, smoke or chemical pollutants. Fog looks whitish, whereas smog is darker and contaminated with airborne particles.
