Snowfall closes Lowari Topبرف باری نے چترال کا واحد زمینی راستہ لواری ٹاپ بند کردیا، چترال میں برف باری کا سلسلہ جاری ہے۔
The News | Sunday, December 21, 2008
By Shah Murad Baig
CHITRAL: The Lowari Pass, the only land route connecting Chitral to other parts of the country, has been closed for traffic, leaving hundreds of people stranded.
Being in the grip of torrential rains and snowfall for the last one week, Chitral has been cut-off from the rest of the country, increasing miseries of people.
Moreover, far-flung areas have also been disconnected from the main city as snow and landslides have blocked various link roads.
Heavy snowfall has been continuing in Mastuj, Toor Khow, Mor Khow, paralysing the normal life.
The scheduled PIA flights (between Chitral and Peshawar and Islamabad) have also been suspended due to the bad weather for the last few days and hundreds of Chitralis have been stranded in Peshawar.
Meanwhile, an official of the National Highway Authority said that the Lowari Top would have been reopened had the pass not received more snowfall which, according to him, would be impossible now.
In the wake of closure of the Lowari Top and suspended PIA flights from Peshawar and Islamabad, Chitralis have demanded of the government to renew the agreement with the Afghan government to reopen the Arandu border.
Earlier, from December to April, the people of Chitral had been using Nawa Pass Road to reach Peshawar.
It was also reported that the Chitral-Gilgit Road had also been blocked at Shandur Pass as a result of the heavy snowfall.
