BANNU/MANSEHRA: A girl lost her life, and four other persons sustained injuries as a downpour coupled with a windstorm lashed the Bannu district, while light snowfall was recorded in the upper parts of Kaghan Valley of Mansehra district on Friday.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), houses and boundary walls collapsed due to heavy rain and strong winds, resulting in the death of a minor girl and injuries to four others. The deceased was identified as eight-year-old Noorul Huda, a resident of the Sadrawan area.

The boundary walls of two houses also collapsed during the storm.

Meanwhile, light snowfall in the upper parts of Kaghan Valley on Friday suspended the clearance of snow from the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad (MNJ) Road near Babusar Top, the boundary between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

“Snow-removing machines are hardly 1km away from Babusar Top, but light snowfall halted the clearance of the MNJ Road for most of the day,” Balakot Assistant Commissioner Hasrat Khan told reporters.

Snowfall started in the early hours and continued intermittently until the afternoon.

“If the weather permits, we can surely reopen the MNJ Road up to Babusar Top on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa side within the next two to three days,” Mr Khan said.

He said the snowfall in the upper parts of the valley also turned the weather cold.

“Snow clearance process on the Gilgit-Baltistan side up to the Babusar Top is also continuing and is expected to be completed within two to three days, resuming traffic between the two regions after remaining suspended for around six months,” Mr Khan said.

He said that the administration had adopted all precautionary measures for the safety of passengers travelling between KP and GB.

“Even then, drivers and motorists should remain cautious while travelling between Naran and the Babusar Top,” he said.

The MNJ Road was blocked in November 2025, suspending traffic between KP and GB, after the Kaghan Valley received the first snowfall of the winter season.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026