CHILAS – The Babusar–Naran Road has been closed to all kinds of vehicular movement after heavy snowfall and biting cold made travel unsafe, according to a notification issued by Diamer Deputy Commissioner Attaur Rehman Kakhar.
The announcement, dated November 29, confirmed that Babusar Top and surrounding high-altitude areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been sealed off for public travel due to worsening weather conditions.
Authorities say that continuous snowfall has left the road dangerously slippery, creating a serious risk for motorists. No snow-clearing operation has been initiated yet, further adding to the difficulty of reopening the route anytime soon.
Security personnel stationed in parts of Diamer and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also been withdrawn because of the deteriorating conditions. Officials have made it clear that the road will remain closed until the weather stabilizes.
Residents and travelers have been urged to stay away from the area and avoid any unnecessary movement toward the region.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted cold and dry weather across most of the country, with particularly harsh conditions expected in mountainous belts during the early hours and late evenings. The PMD also warned of dense fog likely to blanket the plains of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during morning and night.
Over the coming days, temperatures are expected to drop further in northern areas, while fog intensity is likely to increase in Punjab and KP.
During the last 24 hours, much of Pakistan experienced cold, dry weather, with severe chill gripping the hilly regions. Patches of fog continued to disrupt visibility in several plains of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Skardu recorded the lowest temperature at –11°C. Meanwhile, Lahore maintained its position among the country’s most polluted cities, ranking fifth on the pollution index on Friday.
