Passengers and bus drivers in Shangla protest against the closure of the Karakoram Highway. The major road has been closed since Monday due to landslides in Kohistan. PHOTO: ONLINE
KOHISTAN: Traffic remained suspended on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for the third consecutive day in Kohistan on Wednesday because of landslide debris, which has not been removed.
A heavy mass of earth and rocks fell on the KKH at two points near Pattan and Dasu, the headquarters of Kohistan on Monday afternoon, blocking the route leading to Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).
Locals who usually assist authorities in removing landslide debris said despite their efforts the heavy stones could not be moved and required the use of heavy machinery.
According to police, rain has hampered all efforts to remove the debris, but the road is expected to be reopened soon.
DSP Headquarters Shahnaz Khan said the authorities have been informed of the matter and machinery was likely to be moved to the affected parts of KKH by Wednesday evening or Thursday morning (today).
After the landslide on Monday, traffic to and from G-B was suspended and long queues of trucks, passenger buses and cars formed along the highway. The blockage has also cut off remote mountainous areas of Kohistan from other parts of the country.
Buried under landslide
Four minors, including a six -year-old, of one family were killed in a landslide in a remote village of Manshera on Tuesday, while two were critically injured. According to Saddar police station’s SHO, six children, including two siblings, of Batrehrar Kharar Maira village were digging beneath a large mass of rock and clay to plaster roofs of their mud houses when the mass fell on them.
The neighbours were able to dig through the rubble after an hour but found four of the six children dead, then moved the injured ones to King Abdullah Teaching Hospital. The condition of the two injured children was reported to be critical, according to officials at the hospital. The deceased children were identified as six-year-old Nabeel, 11-year-old Saad, 14-year-old Khalid, and 16-year-old Sudheer.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2014.
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