GILGIT: Babusar Pass has been closed for traffic earlier than usual in the wake of snowfall, officials said on Saturday.

Diamer Deputy Com­m­is­sioner Arif Ahmed told Dawn that the route has been temporarily closed and can reopen only if the weather improves and snow clears.

The route is usually closed for vehicular traffic for eight months from November to June due to sub-zero temperatures and the traffic is diverted to the Karakoram Highway.

“It depends on the weather. The pass is usually closed in November after heavy snowfall and when it is freezing,” Mr Ahmed said.

The closure of Babusar Pass comes after dozens of travellers, including tourists, were stranded following recent snowfall.

The stranded tourists were rescued and shifted to the Chilas city, the capital of Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer division.

The temperature at Babusar Top usually dips below minus 15 degrees Celsius at night and police patrolling becomes difficult in harsh winter.

The unavailability of security on the KP side from Babusar Top to Naran and slippery roads are other reasons behind the prolonged closure of the road.

The journey from Diamer to Mansehra takes seven hours thro­ugh Babusar Pass; covering the same distance through the Karakoram Highway takes 14 hours.

Tourists visiting Gilgit-Baltistan prefer to travel through Babusar Pass to enjoy the weather and breathtaking sights.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2023