CHITRAL: A rescue operation led by local volunteers and youth from the Gujar tribe continued on Monday to recover the dead bodies of two people who were hit by an avalanche at Lawari top.
A man and his son working for Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) have reportedly been killed after an avalanche buried them near Lowari top on the Chitral side. Ashriat police station SHO Inspector Abdul Muzzafar Shah told the media that Nooruddin and his son Ubaidullah, residents of Naghra in Drosh, were working as watchmen of the PTCL tower located at Lowari top.
They were hit by an avalanche near the top of the snow-bound pass when they were going for their duty at the tower. Shah said that Nooruddin’s son-in-law miraculously survived and succeeded in reaching Ashriat police station where he informed police of the incident.
He further informed that they had started the rescue operation from Thursday which still continues, however, bad weather and rain has created hurdles in the way. Whereas, independent sources from Lawari top revealed that no rescue team had officially has been sent to the area; only local volunteers were making the efforts.
Hajji Enzar Gul, an elder of the Gujar tribe told the INP that he requested his tribe to help after which many youths reached on the spot voluntarily to rescue the missing father and son. He lamented about the PTCL’s apathy, mourning that nobody came to the rescue spot nor were they supporting the volunteers’ groups who are trying to recover the missing persons.