MANSEHRA: Traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan via Babusar Top was suspended on Wednesday after Kaghan Valley received the season's second-heaviest snowfall. "We have restricted traffic beyond Bassal towards the upper parts of Kaghan Valley and neighbouring Diamer district, as fresh snowfall has made the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad (MNJ) Road slippery and dangerous," District Police Officer Mohammad Waqas Khan told reporters.

Snowfall, which began on Tuesday night in high-altitude areas, including Saiful Muluk Lake, Lulusar Lake, Battakundi, Bassal and Babusar Top, continued intermittently on Wednesday, bringing a cold spell to the region. The MNJ Road, which connects KP with GB through Babusar Top, remained closed to traffic, while police also restricted the movement of tourists and motorists beyond Bassal.

"We have yet to close our police posts in the upper parts of Kaghan Valley. If the prolonged spell of snowfall continues, it might block the MNJ Road permanently until next summer.

During this period, traffic between the two federating units will remain suspended," the DPO said. He said traffic up to Naran, the commercial hub of Kaghan Valley, was still open, and tourists were continuing to visit the area to enjoy the snowfall, though in small numbers.

"Though hotels and businesses in the upper parts of Kaghan Valley have closed until next summer, Naran is still welcoming visitors despite the snowfall," Hussain Deen, chairman of the Hoteliers Association, said. The indigenous communities settled in Battakundi, Barawai, Bassal and other upper parts of the valley have also started migrating to the lower parts of Mansehra and other areas of Hazara Division to spend the winter.

"With the onset of heavy snowfall, indigenous communities have started moving to the lower parts of the valley. Most probably, the entire area from Naran upwards will remain closed until next summer when Kaghan Valley receives prolonged spells of snowfall," a local resident of Battakundi said.

He said almost half of the families had already moved to the lower parts of Mansehra and other areas of Hazara, while the migration of the remaining families would be completed within the next 10 to 15 days. "With the completion of migration to the lower parts of Hazara, the entire upper valley will remain closed until May next year, as will traffic between KP and GB," he added.