Islamabad, Jan 10: As many as 23 people have been confirmed dead so far due to heavy snowfall in Pakistan’s Murree on Saturday.

The inspector General Islamabad Muhammad Ahsan Younas has said that hundreds of tourists have been transported to safe localities so far by the Islamabad police and continued the evacuation operation at full pace.

“Younas has inspected the progress of the ongoing evacuation operation for stranded citizens in Murree and more than 1500 police officers were deployed to take part in the evacuation operation that will continue till the safe return of the last tourists from Murree On Saturday,” Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said.

The Chief Minister also imposed a state of emergency in hospitals, police stations, and rescue services.

As per media reports, the administration had to call Pakistan Army for assistance in evacuations as around 1,000 cars were stuck on the hill station Buzdar. It had issued instructions for expediting rescue work and providing aid to the stranded tourists.

According to reports, Murree received five feet snowfall, and the roads leading to the hill station were closed on the night of January 6. People were advised to avoid traveling to the area.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Government on Sunday formed a committee to probe the Murree incident.

Additional Chief Secretary Home Zafar Nasrullah has been appointed as the convener of the committee while Provincial secretaries Ali Sarfaraz, Asad Gilani, and Assistant Inspector General Farooq Mazhar have been named as the members of the committee.