PM Shehbaz orders immediate reopening of Karakoram Highway

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after taking notice of landsliding at Chilas on Tuesday directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to take measures for immediate restoration of normal traffic on Karakoram Highway (KKH), reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The Prime Minister further directed the NHA to remove all hurdles on main roads of the area and take all necessary steps to provide food to women, children and senior citizens stuck there.

The Prime Minister directed NHA to provide accommodation to all persons who are stranded due to the landsliding till the restoration of Shahrah-e-Karakoram.

Earlier, passengers travelling to and from Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad were stuck on the Karakoram Highway as heavy rains caused landslides that blocked the main road at several points in Kohistan.

Snowfall and rain continued across the northern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan and have paralyzed life in the area.

Various parts of Swat, Dir Upper, Chitral, Shangla, Mansehra, Battagram, Kohistan, Abbottabad received heavy snowfall while Hunza, Skardu, Ghizar, Diamer and almost all GB districts were covered with a snow blanket as it continued to fall for the third consecutive day which also dropped mercury in the region.

Reporter: Awais Kiyani