KARAK/SWABI: Several parts of Karak district received heavy snowfall on Sunday afternoon after around two decades.

An official said that snowfall blanketed the rural localities in Jandri union council. He said that the areas received six to 10 inches snow. The snowfall continued for at least one hour from 3pm to 4pm.

Motorists and passengers stopped on Peshawar-Karachi Highway to enjoy the snowfall. Local journalist Shafiuddin said that several localities along the highway including Jandri, Speena, Palosasar and Sabirabad received the snowfall after a long time.

He said that the areas had also received snowfall in 1990 and 2004. He said that people came out of their houses to enjoy the snowfall.

The district administration sent a team of officials to the areas to supervise flow of traffic on the busy highway and make arrangements to avert any untoward incident.

In Swabi, Beer Gali region of Gadoon Amazai received snowfall for the first time on Saturday night and Sunday, prompting people to visit the scenic region.

Beer Gali is situated 64-kilometre away from district headquarters in the northeast. Locals said that they wanted to visit Beer Gali to enjoy the natural beauty and scenic environment of the region, surrounded by green mountains.

Beer Gali shares boundaries with Haripur and Buner districts. It is for the first time in the history of the district that the area has received snowfall.

Dr Mohammad Oqail Farooqi, a resident of the area, when contacted, said that the serious issue was that the required facilities and communication between Beer Gali and rest of the district were not modernised during the two the previous two governments of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf owing to which tourists could visit the scenic region.

Locals said that many influential people had built houses in Beer Gali to enjoy the lush greenery and clean environment of the region. They said that such well-off people stayed in the region only in the harsh summer season.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2024