Heavy snow has already blanketed several mountainous areas, including parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree and the Galiyat belt. In some locations, roads were blocked and villages were temporarily cut off, while local reports also pointed to power outages in a number of affected communities, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Rescue teams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said they had evacuated stranded residents and tourists after snow left vehicles stuck and access routes impassable. Districts such as Khyber, South Waziristan and Swat were among the hardest hit, with authorities continuing road-clearing operations and distributing essential supplies, including food, warm clothing and bedding.
“The system causing rain/snowfall is active over northern parts of the country,” the Pakistan Meteorological Department said in an advisory, forecasting additional showers and snow over the next few hours. The agency advised travelers to remain alert and avoid unnecessary movement during periods of rain and snowfall.
The warning comes as Pakistan’s northern areas attract large numbers of winter visitors, many of whom travel to see snowfall despite repeated cautions from disaster management authorities. Officials have frequently stressed the risks of becoming stranded in remote high-altitude areas when conditions shift quickly.
In response to the latest weather spell, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan directed the National Highway Authority to keep major routes open and operational. Authorities were instructed to maintain round-the-clock monitoring and keep field teams on high alert, with a focus on ensuring traffic flow in upper regions where snow can rapidly shut down key highways.
