• Victims were revenue department employees and residents of Shigar
• Heavy snowfall has made roads across Gilgit-Baltistan slippery and hazardous

GILGIT: Three government employees lost their lives after their vehicle skidded off a snow-covered road in Shigar district of Gilgit-Baltistan on Saturday.

Recent snowfall has made roads in Gilgit-Baltistan slippery and hazardous for travel, while access to many areas remains cut off.

Shigar police told Dawn that the deceased were employees of the revenue department and residents of Shigar. They were traveling to Shigar from Skardu on Saturday at around 5:00pm when their vehicle skidded on snow near the Pardi area of Shigar Road.

Police said the vehicle plunged into a deep ravine, killing all three occupants on the spot. They deceased were identified as Muhammad Aslam, Sharafat, and Mohammad Kazim, aged between 30 and 40 years.

On the instructions of DIG Baltistan Tufail Ahmed Mir, Shigar SP Naik Alam, along with a rescue team, reached the site. Police retrieved the bodies from the ditch and handed them over to the families for burial.

The DIG expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the forgiveness of the deceased and patience for their relatives.

He also appealed to the public to take precautionary measures while driving in snow and icy conditions and to avoid unnecessary travel.

Rajab Ali Qamar, a resident of Shigar, told Dawn that heavy snowfall had blocked access roads to upper areas of the district. He said road links roads to Arandu, Askole, and other areas remained closed, while snow and freezing ice had made travel extremely risky.

Road access remained disconnected

Meanwhile, road access to many villages in Astore district remained disconnected for the fourth consecutive day after avalanches and heavy snowfall.

According to the GB Communication and Works Department, efforts are underway to restore traffic on link roads in Astore district. Officials said a heavy avalanche has struck Musharraf Chowk, blocking traffic.

Machinery of the Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority has been mobilised to clear the roads. The route at Musharraf Chowk has been closed for all types of traffic, while road links between upper Astore and Astore headquarters remain blocked. The Fina link road, as well as the Gorikot and Chilim roads, also remain closed.

Residents across Gilgit-Baltistan, particularly in upper areas of Astore, Skardu, Ghanche, Kharmang, Hunza, Nagar and Ghizer, are facing severe cold temperatures amid electricity shortages and road disruptions.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Emergency Operations Centre has issued an alert warning of widespread rain, thunderstorms and snowfall from Jan 30 to Feb 2. The advisory cautioned about extremely cold temperatures, avalanche risks, landslides, road closures and hazardous travel conditions, advising residents to remain alert and travellers to avoid non-essential travel during heavy snowfall.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2026