At least 16 people were injured after several vehicles collided in a huge pile-up on motorway M2 near Kala Shah Kaku, Sheikhupura, Aaj News reported on Tuesday.

The collision occurred due to extremely poor visibility caused by thick fog that has developed over Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa plains. Rescue 1122 crew arrived at the spot and shifted the injured to a nearby hospital.

Authorities have closed the motorway after the crash.

Rise in road accidents due to reduced visibility feared

Earlier, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had expressed fear in a rise in road accidents due to a reduced horizontal visibility with intensifying fog throughout Punjab.

Chief Meteorologist Sahib Zad Khan said that the induction of toxic particles out of vehicles combustion and stubble burning would convert it to smog, which is detrimental to human health, he said.

According to him, the low horizontal visibility due to a thick fog would affect the vision of vehicle drivers, a situation that may lead to more road accidents.