GILGIT, May 8: People of the Northern Areas have urged PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) and military officials to increase the number of flights between Islamabad, Gilgit and Skardu.

They said floods had blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) at Tatupani in Diamer district last week, which needed two more weeks for restoration.

The highgway is the only land route that links the five districts of the Northern Areas, but rains, floods and quakes have made it more vulnerable to closures than in the preceding years.

They said that many children, women and patients were stranded in Rawalpindi, Gilgit and Skardu owing to the prolonged blockade of the KKH while limited seats were available in PIA Fokers, that operate only twice a day.

Stranded passengers told Dawn that they were not being given seats on flights as the number of military personnel and tablighi groups were exceeding the available seats.