Snowfall triggers road blockade in Kaghan valley

MANSEHRA: Upper parts of Hazara division received the first snowfall of the winter, blocking Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road to traffic on Saturday.

The snowfall, which started Friday evening, continued intermittently the entire night and turned the weather cold.

The traffic between Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa via Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road was suspended following snowfall.

According to National Highway Authority, the road was blocked from Babusar Top up to Jalkhad.

“I was on way to Mansehra from Dassu, Kohistan, via [MNJ] road but couldn’t proceed ahead along with hundreds of other passengers travelling through dozens of vehicles from Babusar Top and returned back to our previous destinations,” Saddam Shah, a passenger, told reporters.

“Though the road is blocked owing to snowfall and vehicles couldn’t move ahead, Karakoram Highway is open for traffic as usual,” said Shah.