Babusar Pass reopens after 6-month hiatus

BALAKOT:

The Babusar Highway, previously closed due to snowfall in winter, has now been reopened for traffic.

Located at the junction of Naran and Diamer, Babusar Top offers picturesque views of snow-capped peaks, even in June.

This scenic highway, which remains closed during the winter due to heavy snowfall, is a popular tourist destination and transit route between Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

After being shut down in November, the highway has finally reopened in June.

The district administrations of Diamer and Mansehra have coordinated to allow vehicle movement on Shahrah-e-Babusar Kaghan from 5am to 5pm. This schedule accounts for the melting snow and the water that freezes on the road at night. These restrictions will remain in place until Eidul Azha. After the holidays, authorities will announce new timings for travel on the highway.

With the reopening of the Babusar Highway, tourists and travellers heading to Gilgit-Baltistan can now choose this route alongside the Karakoram Highway.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2024.