Tourists given conditional permission to enter Murree

Days after 22 tourists died in the cars stuck in Murree due to snowfall and subsequent traffic congestion, Rawalpindi Commissioner gave conditional permission to enter the city from January 18.

According to a notification issued on Saturday, only 8,000 vehicles will be able to enter Murree from all entry points "in normal weather conditions".

However, this limit will "not be applicable to the residents of Murree and Azad Kashmir, official vehicles and Pak Army vehicles," reads the notification.

"No entry shall be allowed between 5 pm and 5 am except for emergency services, vehicles carrying POL/LPG, and food items," it added.

The Chief Traffic Officer will be responsible for stopping excessive vehicles, the notification said.

Death toll in calamity-hit Murree rises to 22

On Monday, the government had extended the ban on entry into Murree until 17 January 2022.

Meanwhile, the initial report by the inquiry committee into Murree's debacle declared carbon monoxide (CO) as a major cause of the deaths.