Chitral recieved snowfall.
CHITRAL: After a long period of dry weather Chitral received snowfall and rain. Drosh received 3 inches snow while some 7 inches snow recorded at Garamchishma, Booni 2 inches and Ziarat recieved more than 1to 2 feet of snow. As a result land route connecting Chitral to Gilgit Baltistan blocked at Shandur poss where some 1 foot snow recorded and Dir Chitral road blocked at Ashriat and Ziarat. Hence National Highway have deployed their bulldozers to remove snow from Peshawar road at Ashriat and Ziarat to open the road until Lawari tunnel. Besides it Madaglasht received more than 2 feet snow as a result main road of Madaglasht valley also blocked for all type of vehicular traffic. The first snowfall of the season occurred in Chitral on Friday which also continue on early morning of Saturday breaking the over four-month dry spell but further compounding difficulties of the residents.
Reports said due to the snowfall, roads on both sides of the Lowari Tunnel were blocked stranding hundreds of vehicles on both sides of the Lowari Pass. PIA also could not operated their scheduled flights to the valley due to the inclement weather.Besides it family members of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtonhwa Amir Haider Khan Hoti have been strained in snowfall at Ziarat but they were rescued by Chitral police and Border force later on and were shifted to Baradam village safely who reached Chitral on Saturday. they were coming in 4 vehicles but these 15 members were badly strained at Ziarat after heavy snowfall and they were shifted to safe shelter during midnight of Friday and Saturday.
In upper parts of the valley, about six inch of snowfall has been reported. The severe cold has confided the people inside their houses and there were shortage of fuel and firewood in many areas.Veteran Politician and leader of PPP Wing Commander retired Fardad Ali Shah have demanded from high ups of National Highway Authority for opening of main Peshawar road and remain the tunnel round the clock for Chitral passengers.
G.H. Farooqi PO Box NO. 50 GPO Chitral Pakistan phone No. 00923025989602
email: gulhamad@gmail.com