A total of 13 people, who were trapped in Bahsal due to snowfall, were rescued by the Pakistan Army on Thursday.
The rescued persons included seven children and six women, all of whom were living in Bahsal area of Diamer. They had gone up to the area, along with their cattle, for summer but were trapped due to unexpected snowfall.
A day earlier, 12 labourers working in Bahsal were trapped but found their way out.
Roads in other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan remained covered in thick layers of snow and hence closed for commute on Thursday.
However, tourists and wildlife officials stranded in Deosai were rescued by the army personnel and would be flown to Skardu, situated at a distance of 40 kilometres.
On the other hand, work was under way to rescue tourists stranded in Naran. According to Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Bilal Faizi, they had sent the teams along with ambulances and paramedics for the stranded tourists. The tourists staying at hotels and not stranded on roads had the chance to enjoy the weather. “We wanted to see the snowfall and so we did,” Professor Shahid Naseem, one of the tourists said. “The beauty of Naran valley has been amplified with snow all around.” Another tourist, Riaz, was of the view that people who praise the beauty of Europe should also visit Pakistan to see the bounties of nature.
Published in Daily Times, October 19th 2018.
