MANSEHRA: Tourists and passengers stranded in the Soach area of Kaghan Valley after heavy landslides blocked the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road left for their respective destinations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and other parts of the country after the district administration opened it.

“Debris from the roadside mountains had blocked the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road traffic, which was cleared after hectic efforts,” Balakot assistant commissioner Hasrat Khan told reporters on Saturday.

A number of tourists and passengers travelling within Kaghan Valley and between KP and GB remained stranded in the Soach area, prompting the district administration to clear the road.

Kaghan Valley, which was thronged by tourists during Eid holidays, witnessed traffic disruption following the landslides.

Fire damages forest in Dadar area

Mr Khan said that officials concerned rushed to the scene to oversee the efforts to clear landslide.

“We have adopted measures to ensure a safe journey for tourists and passengers travelling within the valley and between KP and GB via the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road, which connects both federating units via Kaghan Valley,” he said.

The official added that tourists should also remain cautious while travelling through the hilly parts of Kaghan Valley and the rest of their journey and should avoid going close to streams, riversides and hollow snow glaciers.

Meanwhile, a heavy wildfire, which broke out due to unknown reasons in dense forest, widely damaged flora and fauna and polluted the air in the Dadar area on Saturday.

“We moved personnel from various departments along with fire tenders and brought the heavy blaze under control after hectic efforts lasting several hours,” Baffa-Pakhal assistant commissioner Ilyas Ahmad told reporters.

The fire, which broke out in the early hours of the day, continued for the rest of the day, destroying trees and damaging flora and fauna to a considerable extent.

It was learnt that personnel of Rescue 1122, the tehsil municipal administration and the forest department also made efforts to extinguish the blaze.

Mr Ahmad said that the fire, which ripped through a vast stretch of forest, caused thick smoke that spread across the area and raised high into the sky, triggering pollution in populated areas.

“The firefighters brought the fire under control after hectic efforts and prevented it from spreading to nearby settlements,” Mr Ahmad said.

He said no loss of life was reported in the blaze.

“We have yet to determine the cause of the fire,” he added.

He said that the district administration had launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire, adding that action would be taken under the relevant laws if anyone was found involved.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2026