KKH closure: Food distributed among 400 stranded passengers

MANSEHRA: The Upper Kohistan administration has provided lodging and food to over 400 passengers stranded at the district headquarters after a dangerous crack developed on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in the Zero-Point area, officials said on Thursday.

“I want to clarify that the KKH in our district is open for all kinds of traffic. However, we had restricted heavy traffic and passenger coaches beyond Dasu after a crack appeared on this strategic artery near Zero-Point last night,” Deputy Commissioner, Upper Kohistan, Tariq Ali Khan told reporters.

He said he chaired a meeting earlier in the day to discuss the situation caused by the heaviest downpour of the season over the past couple of days.“The KKH at Zero-Point, Dasu, developed a crack, which we have now repaired and reopened for traffic in the early hours.

Around 400 passengers, including approximately 200 women and children, were provided lodging and dinner,” Tariq Khan said.

The DC added that passengers were accommodated in local government schools, where they were provided with around 450 blankets and other necessities.“Volunteers also distributed food and essential supplies among the stranded passengers at Zero-Point, Dasu. Everything we did was out of sympathy and concern for the affected travellers,” he added.

He said that the passengers travelling to Gilgit-Baltistan via coaches departed for their respective destinations early in the morning through an alternative route.He also commended the role of police teams, led by the SHOs of Kamila and Dasu, in ensuring the smooth movement of traffic.“We no longer have any backlog in the district, as traffic is moving smoothly along the KKH, and no point within our jurisdiction remains blocked,” Tariq Khan added.