BATTAGRAM:In a tragic incident highlighting the severe human toll of Pakistan’s ongoing cold wave, the body of a local man was recovered three days after he left his home to buy groceries. The victim, identified as Muhammad Bashir, had ventured from his mountainous village in Chinao to the Kuza Banda market amidst relentless snowfall and sub-zero temperatures.
The incident underscores the extreme conditions paralyzing northern regions. Battagram, along with Dir Bala and Chitral, is currently isolated, with major communication roads blocked by heavy snow and power supplies suspended. The extreme weather, which has broken longstanding records, has turned routine travel into a perilous undertaking.
According to local accounts, Bashir fell and sustained injuries during his journey. Helpless and stranded in the deep snow for two days, he ultimately succumbed to the freezing temperatures. His body was discovered by local residents, who found him lying in the snow, a grim testament to the dangers posed by the historic winter conditions.
This death brings into sharp focus the compounding crises faced by communities in Pakistan’s upper regions. Beyond breaking climate records, the unprecedented snowfall has severed vital lifelines, cutting off access to markets, medical aid, and essential services. The closure of roads and suspension of utilities have left residents vulnerable, transforming a simple errand into a fatal expedition.
The tragedy of Muhammad Bashir has cast a pall over the district, serving as a somber reminder of the human cost embedded within meteorological statistics. As the country grapples with the visible impacts of climate change—evident in the record-breaking winter—local authorities face mounting pressure to restore connectivity and provide emergency support to stranded populations before further loss of life occurs.
