Thousands stranded as landslides sever Karakoram Highway

GILGIT: The Karakoram Highway, the primary connection between Gilgit-Baltistan and the rest of Pakistan, remains closed at several points due to severe landslides induced by recent heavy rains and snowfall.

Faizullah Faraq, a spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister, reported that the highway has been obstructed at two critical locations within the region’s limits. A large number of vehicles and busses carrying thousands of passengers, including women and children are currently stranded on both sides of these blockages. Stranded passengers are facing significant difficulties securing food and shelter due to the closure.

“The administration, alongside the disaster management authorities, is actively engaged in the restoration works,” the spokesperson elaborated. “We are committed to ensuring that the closed sections of the road will be accessible at the earliest,” Faraq assured.

Karakoram Highway closed due to landslide

Faraq said that G-B Chief Minister Gulbar Khan has directed Secretaries of Interior and Communications to provide a detailed report on the damages caused by the recent weather conditions. He has also issued orders to the Director General of Disaster Management and the administration to accelerate road restoration and coordinate rescue operations for those affected by the landslides.

Meanwhile, the Kohistan-Chilas section of the Karakoram Highway has also been closed at two locations due to severe landslides triggered by recent heavy rains. The debris from landslides still blocks the road near the Doga bridge at Barsin. This closure, effective since Sunday, has severed land connectivity between Gilgit and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, significantly affecting travel and trade in the region.

Efforts to reopen the highway have been hampered by the presence of mountain debris on the road. Despite machinery being dispatched to the site, clearance work has been delayed pending favorable weather conditions. The Upper Kohistan district administration has urged all travelers, including tourists heading to Gilgit-Baltistan, to avoid traveling on the Karakoram Highway tonight to prevent any untoward incidents.