A major rescue operation is underway in Murree after heavy snowfall left around 5,000 vehicles stranded, forcing authorities to ban further entry into the hill station and urge citizens to avoid non-essential travel.

Officials confirmed that continuous snowfall over the past 19 hours caused severe road blockages, poor visibility, and snow accumulation ranging from one foot to nearly three-and-a-half feet in several areas, significantly disrupting daily life.

District Police Officer (DPO) Raza Tanveer said that no additional vehicles will be allowed to enter Murree until the evacuation and snow clearance operations are fully completed. He urged tourists to immediately halt their journeys, stressing that police and district administration teams are present on the ground to assist stranded travelers.

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The rescue operation involves heavy machinery, cranes, loaders, and snow-clearing equipment, working round the clock to reopen key roads and safely evacuate vehicles. DPO Tanveer, along with District Coordination Officer Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi, is personally supervising field teams and assured that operations will continue until the last stranded vehicle is safely removed.

Authorities confirmed that no distress calls have been reported so far, and that more than half of the evacuation process has already been completed. Several main roads and link routes have been cleared to restore controlled traffic movement.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad administration has kept all routes leading to Murree closed since morning, while long queues of vehicles have been reported at the Murree Expressway entry point. The Motorway Police have deployed a heavy contingent on N-75, guiding travelers and assisting snow-removal teams.

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Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari also issued a public advisory, stating that all hotels in Murree are fully occupied and that the hill station has exceeded its vehicle capacity. She emphasized that tourist safety remains the government’s top priority and appealed to citizens to postpone travel plans.

Authorities have also recalled the January 2022 Murree tragedy, when 22 people, including 10 children, died after being trapped in snowbound vehicles during a tourist rush. Officials stressed that preventive measures are being strictly enforced this time to avoid a repeat of that disaster.

Residents and tourists have been advised to remain vigilant, follow official advisories, and avoid unnecessary travel until weather conditions improve and roads are fully cleared.