MANSEHRA: Traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) resumed on Saturday after a 3-day suspension following the clearance of the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad (MNJ) Road in the Babusar Top area of Kaghan Valley. "Although the KP side of the MNJ Road was cleared after snowfall earlier this week, the Chilas administration has now allowed vehicles to cross Babusar Top from both sides," Assistant Commissioner Balakot Hazrat Khan told reporters.
The second spell of heavy snowfall, which brought cold and chilly weather to the Hazara division, had blocked the MNJ Road at several locations in Kaghan Valley and near Babusar Top, disrupting traffic between KP and Gilgit-Baltistan. "Babusar Top is now open to all types of traffic from both KP and GB.
Loaded trucks and other vehicles stranded in the upper parts of Kaghan Valley have departed for their respective destinations across the country," said Hazrat Khan. The road connecting Naran with Saiful Muluk Lake, which was also blocked following the snowfall, had been reopened to traffic earlier this week as weather conditions improved in the mountainous region.
Meanwhile, local administration and rescue services remained on high alert throughout the closure period to assist stranded travelers and ensure the clearance operations were completed safely without any untoward incidents. In a separate development, police successfully rescued 3 tourists who went missing in the upper reaches of Kaghan Valley amid heavy snowfall 2 days ago and shifted them safely to the Naran Police Station, officials said on Saturday.
"Police teams not only rescued the 3 friends but also provided food and warm supplies to drivers stranded in the upper parts of the valley following the sudden snowfall," said District Police Officer Mohammad Azhar Khan. The missing tourists, identified as Saddam Shah, Obaid Saeed, and Mohammad Jilal, had ventured into the upper reaches of Kaghan Valley to trek to Dudipatsar Lake when they went missing amid the severe weather.
Following strict instructions from the district police officer, dedicated police search parties launched an operation, successfully located the stranded tourists, and safely shifted them to the Naran Police Station for medical checkups.