At least 21 people have suffocated and been frozen to death after heavy snow fell on a traffic jam of more than 125,000 cars.
They died Saturday after they were left stranded in their vehicles amid heavy snowfall and traffic chaos in Murree, Pakistan.
Police in Pakistan say the motorists were not killed by the cold but asphyxiation - after turning their car heaters on.
But Mubashir Ahmed, a health expert, said the cause of death could also be hypothermia.
The Pakistan Army and government tried to rescue them as locals flocked to provide food and blankets in an attempt to save those .
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said the road leading to Murree from Islamabad has been closed.
He said "Islamabad and Rawalpindi's commissioners, deputy commissioners, police, are carrying out rescue operations.
"Over 1,000 vehicles have been stuck since night; 16-19 deaths took place in cars and some have had been evacuated.
"It has been decided that the ban will be on tourists who are planning on coming to Murree by walk. It is not the time to come to Murree.''
Taking to Twitter, Rawalpindi deputy commissioner said, “Around 23000 vehicles have been evacuated safely from Murree. Around 1000 are still stranded.”
Local media reported that more than 125,000 vehicles had entered the city which had caused the traffic jam, while 32 inches of snowfall over two days has been reported in Murree.
Thousands of tourists were left stranded after road leading to Malka-e-Kohsar was closed due to the dangerous weather.
The deceased were found dead near the Kaldana Road in Murree and included eight family members.
