MANSEHRA: The residents of Battakundi and other areas in upper Kaghan valley have left their homes for lower parts of the country following heavy snowfall.

“Our skeleton staff is still present in Naran to deal with any snow or rough weather induced mishaps as the valley presents a deserted look,” Asad Shahzad Khan, the assistant director of Kaghan Development Authority, told journalists on Sunday.

Though the upper parts of Kaghan valley had received the first snowfall of the current winter in November this year, with a recent spell the people residing in Battakundi and adjoining localities migrated to Mansehra, Garhi Habibullah and other areas of Hazara and country. Traders also closed down their outlets, hotels and shops.

Mr Khan said that that Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road, linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Gilgit-Baltistan, was closed to traffic from Soach onwards. “The recent snowfall also blocks the artery that links Naran with Saiful Muluk Lake,” he added.

The official said that tourists, motorists and even locals should not use the snow-blanketed roads to avoid any mishap.

Hassan Deen, the chairman of Hoteliers Association in Kaghan Valley, said that business activities had completely been suspended till April next year after recent snowfall.

PTI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Sunday started receiving applications from aspirants for two National and five provincial assembly seats in the district.

“Though collecting applications for tickets in Mansehra is under way, we are going to launch this same process in the rest of Hazara on Monday,” Kamal Saleem Swati, PTI spokesperson in Hazara told journalists.

KILLED: A man was killed after an excavator machine working on a road project fell in a deep ravine in Jabar Dehr area of Siren Valley on Sunday.

Mohammad Liaquat was clearing a hilly piece of land for Nawazabad-Mundi road but couldn’t hold control over steering while moving upward and the excavator machine fell into a deep ravine.

Locals rushed him to a nearby health facility where doctors pronounced him dead.

Meanwhile, Aurangzeb was killed after his motorbike skidded off the road and fell into a deep ravine in Damgalla area of Balakot.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2023