Winter blues: Road blocked after snowfall in Kaghan

Traffic diverted towards Karakoram Highway via Kohistan

MANSEHRA:

The road which connects Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) with the rest of the country has been blocked for an indefinite period after heavy snowfall in Kaghan Valley, police and locals told The Express Tribune on Friday.

According to the police, Kaghan received its second snowfall, measuring four feet, on Thursday night. As a result, the road between Battakundi to Babusar Top was blocked.

“We have diverted traffic towards Karakoram Highway via Kohistan after the snow blocked the road at various points,” said Kaghan SHO Nazeer Khan. He stated this was not an unusual occurrence as the road between Battakundi and Babusar Top is blocked every year between November and March due to heavy snowfall.

After the road was blocked by snow, police check posts at Baseer and Jhal Khad have been closed down and the forces have been called back to Kaghan, added the SHO.

Low crime season

According to Khan, the closure of check posts will not have an adverse impact on the region as crime rates fall during winter due to heavy snowfall.

“Due to severe restrictions on the movement of villagers and movement of nomads to settled areas, police can reach the scene of the crime from Kaghan if a complaint is lodged during the season,” the SHO said.

Rained out

Temperatures dropped significantly in the low-lying areas of Hazara and locals have started wearing sweaters and winter woolies to brave the cold.

However, low-lying areas of Kaghan Valley have received only six to nine inches of snowfall, coupled with heavy rains that washed away the snow within an hour.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2014.