MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Tuesday provided Rs4 million in compensation to the family of a Karachi-based couple who were killed in a road accident in Neelum District during last year’s monsoon season.

The tragic accident occurred on August 18 last year near Shundaas in the upper belt of Neelum Valley, when a rented Pajero jeep carrying tourists from Karachi skidded off the rain-slicked road and fell onto the rocky bank of the Neelum River.

The couple, identified as Zeeshan Shahid, 38, and his wife Anmol Haroon, 32, both residents of Gulshan-i-Iqbal in Karachi, died in the accident, along with local driver Farooq, 35, and helper Atif. Miraculously, the couple’s two-year-old daughter, Zuha Zeeshan, survived unharmed.

The jeep was returning from Taobutt, the valley’s last picturesque village, when it went out of the driver’s control on the slippery track and fell approximately 250 feet into the gorge. The couple had traveled to Neelum Valley in their own Corolla, which they left in Kel, about 156 kilometres from Muzaffarabad, before hiring the jeep for the remaining 45-kilometre journey.

Under the directives of AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) handed over the compensation to the bereaved family via cheque.

In a statement, Ahmed Saghir Chughtai, Advisor for SDMA, said the gesture reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting victims of accidents and natural calamities in the region.

He also urged local residents and tourists to exercise caution while travelling in the mountainous areas in the interest of their safety.

“Mountain roads can be unpredictable in any season. Slowing down, following traffic rules, and staying alert are the simplest ways to ensure a recreational trip does not turn into a tragedy,” he said.“Always remember, your safety should be your top priority.”

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2026