The recent rains and snowfall in Swat has sent the temperature below 0◦C which has left the entire region in a severe spell of cold. According to reports, snow continued to fall in Kalam for the fourth consecutive day and the area has received between three to five feet of snow. Although rain and snowfall subsided in the lower parts of the district, the valley still remains in grip of severe cold. Pak Army Engineering Wing Major Azhar said it was due to the perseverance of the army that, in spite of the overwhelming snowfall, the Kalam road remains open for all traffic.
On the other side, unscheduled power outages exceed twenty hours a day which has increased water scarcity of water in most parts of the district. All silk and cosmetic industries have stopped operation due to the outages, rendering thousands of daily wage workers jobless. Business in the city has also been crippled. The business community has warned that unless remedial measures are taken soon, they will be left without option but protest. Similarly, heavy snowfall continued in the upper parts of the country, including Azad Kashmir making the weather chilly besides closing off major roads for traffic on Sunday night.
In Kel, Neelum, Leepa, Sadhan Gali, But Sherh, Punjal Gali and Seer Kot of Azad Kashmir snowfall has continued for the past few days..
Snowfall was reported in upper parts of Baltistan division, Chitral, Murree, various areas of Hazara division, Abbottabad and others on Saturday. More than one feet of snowfall was reported in the galliyat in Abbottabad district. Snowfall was heavy in the mountainous areas of Mansehra and Battagram district, which left the links roads in the Naran valley in Mansehra and in the Ilai valley in Battagram blocked.
Authorities managed to clear snow from the Lowari Pass to enable small vehicles to continuing plying on the road linking Upper Dir district with Chitral. Sporadic snowfall has also decreased temperatures in Bajaur, Khyber Agency, Upper and Lower Dir and other tribal areas.
