ISLAMABAD   -  The intermittent rain spell continued for the last five days across the country, has turned the weather chiller, impelling citizens to stay indoor most of the time and prevent themselves from the cold weather conditions.

Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said that due to the increasing rush, tourists are temporarily barred from entering to Murree and Galyat. In a statement, the interior minister said the decision is aimed at facilitating tourists. He appealed the tourists, especially families to refrain from traveling to Murree and Galyat for. Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said around one lakh vehicles entered to Murree. He said administrations of Islamabad and Murree are facilitating the people.

The ongoing rain spell on one hand provided much needed respite to the allergy patients and reduced smog but on the other hand disrupted the daily life of the citizens, caused gas outages and low pressures, hampered street vendors businesses and damaged crops.

The ongoing rain spell with snowfall over the hills, as per the weather experts, was the first ever significant spell of this winter season and is likely to continue till Sunday owing to the prevalence of a strong weather system affecting the upper parts of the country.  

The northern areas of the country are witnessing influx of tourists who are enjoying the snowfall and scenic beauty and getting ready to come back to get their children ready for resuming studies after winter vacation.

The chilly weather due to the reduced temperatures has increased the demand of warm clothes and the popular winter delights of chicken corn coup, doodh jalebi, gajar ka halwa, Kashmiri tea, samosas, fritters, fried fish and dry fruits etc.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), rain-wind-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills occurred in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Islamabad, Kashmir and Bagrote during the last 24 hours.

The rainfall recorded during the last 24 hours (till Friday morning) was Balochistan: Khuzdar 46 mm, Sibbi 29, Lasbella 19, Kalat 16, Quetta (Samungli 13, Observatory 06), Dalbandin, Turbat 04, Ormara 03, Jiwani, Kohlu, Panjgur 02, Barkhan 01, Sindh: Karachi (Sarjani Town 28, North Karachi 18, Jamia Tur Rasheed 17, Orangi Town 16, Masroor Base 15, Nazimabad, University Road 14, Faisal Base 12, MOS, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Kemari 09, Jinnah Terminal, Saadi Town 08, Quaidabad 07, DHA Phase II 06), Shaheed Benazirabad 28, Sakrand 25, Dadu 17, Mohenjo-dharo 16, Padidan, Khairpur 15, Sukkur 14, Chhor 13, Rohri 10, Larkana, Mithi, Thatta 09, Hyderabad, Jacobabad 07, Mirpur Khas, Tando Jam 04.

The rainfall recorded in the other areas was Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Dera Ismail Khan (Airport 21, City 15), Dir (Upper 13, Lower 07), Mirkhani 12, Kalam, Kakul 11, Peshawar (Airport 10, City 09), Cherat 09, Drosh, Saidu Sharif 07, Bannu 06, Balakot 05, Parachinar 04, Pattan 03, Malam Jabba, Takht Bai 02, Chitral 01,Punjab: Murree 14, Lahore (Lakshmi Chowk 13, WASA Head Office 11, Johar Town, Shahi Qila 07, Farrukhabad, Chowk Nakhuda 06, Jail Road, City 05, Airport, Iqbal Town, Mughal Pura 03, Upper Mall, Taj Pura, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Samanabad, Nishtar Town 02), Kasur 11, Rahim Yar Khan 09, Khanpur 08, Bhakkar 06, Sialkot (City 06, Airport 01).

The rainfall recorded in Islamabad was Saidpur, Golra 05, Zero point 04, Bokra 02, Airport 01, Rawalpindi (Shamsabad 03, Chaklala 02), Chakwal, Joharabad, Layyah 03, Dera Ghazi Khan, Kot Addu 02, Attock, Mangla, Narowal 01,Kashmir: Muzaffarabad (City 11, Airport 09), Kotli 10, Rawalakot 09, Garhi Dupatta 07, Gilgit-Baltistan: Bagrote 01 mm.

The snowfall recorded during the last 24 hours was Kalam 05 inches, Malam Jabba 01 and Astore trace.

For Saturday, the PMD has forecast widespread more rain with snowfall over the hills in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, upper/central Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Heavy rain with hailstorm is expected at isolated places during the period.

In Multan, electricity was suspended at 80 different feeders across Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) region following continuous rain.

According to official sources, the affected areas included Multan, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, DG Khan, Vehari, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur and  Rahim Yar Khan.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) MEPCO, Mahar Allah Yar has ordered the operational officials to restore electricity and start restoration activities as rain stopped.

The line staff was directed to use T&P and follow safety SOPs to avert any untoward incident.

He also directed the power distribution centre to monitor the electricity supply.