Heavy snowfall and rain have left passengers, tourists, vehicles and cargo containers stranded at Khunjerab Pass on the Pakistan-China border, and the Karakoram Highway has been made hazardous for travel. Gilgit-Baltistan police said on Friday that snow had built up on the road from Dhee Headquarters to Khunjerab Top, and they urged people to stay off the route until conditions improve.
Road conditions at Khunjerab Top
Three containers reportedly skidded off the Karakoram Highway after the surface turned slippery, and their drivers were rescued. Police said a Chinese container overturned on the snow-covered road. Local travellers and personnel of the Khunjerab Security Police pulled its driver out, and he was not hurt.
Police said snowfall was still continuing at Khunjerab Top, leaving several vehicles and dozens of containers carrying imported goods from China stuck for hours. The Karakoram Highway is the main road that runs to Khunjerab Pass, the crossing on the Pakistan-China border.
Impact on passengers and cargo
Gilgit-Baltistan Minister for Tourism Naiknaam Karim was among the stranded travellers. In a video message, he said snow had also fallen on the Chinese side, but that road had been cleared for traffic. On the Pakistani side, he said the road at Khunjerab Top was covered with about four inches of snow and ice, and two or three cars had skidded.
The minister expressed concern over the lack of facilities and machinery to clear snow on the Pakistani side. Stranded passengers complained that the government and relevant organisations had not started clearing the road. They also said the pass sits at an altitude of more than 15,000 feet, where the risk of oxygen shortage adds to the danger.
Official advice and what comes next
Police told tourists and travellers to avoid unnecessary journeys and not to head towards Khunjerab until the weather and road conditions improve. Motorists were asked to call the police helpline on 15 before setting out, to get the latest information about the road.
The minister appealed to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to deploy machinery immediately to prevent further accidents. It is not yet clear when the road will be cleared for traffic, and the stranded vehicles and containers remain at the pass.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Khunjerab Pass par barf bari ki wajah se Karakoram Highway par gaadiyan aur cargo containers phans gaye hain. Teen containers phisal gaye aur ek Chinese container palat gaya, lekin drivers ko bachaya gaya. Police ne logon ko mashwara diya hai ke barf kam hone tak ghair zaroori safar se bachein. Safar se pehle police helpline 15 par taaza maloomat le lein.
