16 die trapped in vehicles from Pakistan snowstorm

At least 16 people died after heavy snow trapped them in their vehicles as thousands of visitors thronged Pakistan's hill town of Murree, the interior minister said Saturday.

The military has been mobilised to clear roads and rescue people still trapped, Sheikh Rashid said in a video message, adding: "At least 16 to 19 people died inside their vehicles."

All the routes in Murree were blocked after thousands of vehicles entered the city, leaving the tourists helpless on the roads.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Saturday said that Murree had "seen a huge number of tourists after 15-20 years", and due to that, a crisis took place.

Rasheed said the government was forced to close the road from Islamabad to Murree. "Islamabad and Rawalpindi's commissioners, deputy commissioners, police, are carrying out rescue works."