Fresh Snowfall Suspends Babusar Top Route Linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan

Traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan via Babusar Top has been suspended after fresh snowfall hit the Kaghan Valley, officials said. District Police Officer Mohammad Waqas Khan said movement beyond Bassal toward the upper reaches of the valley and neighbouring Diamer district has been restricted because snow has left the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad (MNJ) Road slippery and unsafe.

The snowfall began on Tuesday night across high-altitude locations, including Saiful Muluk Lake, Lulusar Lake, Battakundi, Bassal and Babusar Top, and continued intermittently through Wednesday. The route is a key seasonal link between the two regions and is routinely affected by winter weather.

Traffic remains open up to Naran, allowing tourists to reach the popular destination, although visitor numbers are currently low. Police said their posts in the upper valley have not been closed.

Khan warned that continued snowfall could block the MNJ Road until next summer, effectively suspending traffic between the two regions for the winter season.

Meanwhile, residents of the upper Kaghan Valley have begun moving to lower parts of Mansehra and other areas of the Hazara Division to spend the winter. Local residents expect the migration to be completed within the next 10 to 15 days, after which the upper valley is likely to remain closed until May.