Upper northern areas of Balochistan were hit by another intense snowstorm late at night, paralyzing daily life and severely disrupting road traffic. Dozens of tourist vehicles traveling to Ziarat were stranded on the Quetta–Ziarat Highway, with more than 100 tourists trapped inside their cars amid heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures.
According to authorities, continuous snowfall caused thick layers of ice to form at multiple points along the N-50 Highway, blocking traffic between Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As a result of slippery roads and poor visibility, 27 people were injured in various traffic accidents.
Deadly Conditions at Khojak Top, N-25 Closed
At Khojak Top, powerful Siberian winds pushed temperatures down to minus 12°C, forcing the closure of the N-25 Quetta–Chaman–Karachi Highway. Near Shela Bagh, multiple vehicles collided due to severe road slipperiness, leaving two people dead and seven others injured.
First Snowfall of the Season in Quetta
Meanwhile, Quetta experienced its first snowfall of the current winter season. Snowflakes continued to fall throughout the day, blanketing surrounding mountains in white and bringing a sharp drop in temperatures. Traffic flow remained slow across several districts due to snow-covered roads.
35-Year Record Snowfall in Chaman
Life came to a standstill in northern districts as heavy snowfall crippled infrastructure. In Chaman, residents were confined to their homes after the city witnessed its heaviest snowfall in 35 years, an extremely rare weather event for the region.
CM Praises PDMA Response
Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti expressed satisfaction over the timely response of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) during the rains and snowfall. He praised PDMA teams for launching prompt relief operations and ensuring effective arrangements in affected areas.
PDMA Director General Jahanzeb Khan stated that teams equipped with heavy machinery have been deployed across snow-hit regions. Snow clearance units have remained active for over 24 hours, continuously removing snow and restoring road connectivity.
Rescue Operations Successfully Completed
PDMA confirmed that 30 tourists stranded in six vehicles on the Ziarat ascent were successfully rescued and shifted to safe locations. Heavy machinery and salt spreading operations are ongoing in Ziarat, Kan Mehtarzai, and Khojak Top to prevent black ice formation and ensure safe travel.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel during the ongoing severe weather, assuring that all relevant teams are closely monitoring the situation to protect travelers and keep major highways operational.
