ABBOTTABAD: Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major Gen Asif Ghafoor on Tuesday said that stranded tourists, trapped in snowy mountains at Toheed Abad near Nathiagali have been rescued by the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
The DG ISPR said that the rescue operation was started at 3am on Tuesday morning in which the army and PAF with assistance from Quick Relief Force and Rescue 1122 rescued the stranded tourists.
The tourists have been shifted to safe places in Murree and Kala Bagh areas, he added.
The rescue teams were sent after they received “media reports” and would help “in support of civil administration”, the DG ISPR said.
In his tweet, DG ISPR said that the rescue teams are carrying medicines and food items. He added that the blocked road due to heavy snowfall near Toheed Abad is being cleared.
A numbers of tourists were trapped in Ayubia, Nathia Gali and other parts of the area due to closed routes after a new spell of heavy snowfall.
Earlier, the tourists in a video message appealed to concerned authorities to make efforts to rescue them as they were trapped.
Nathiya Gali has received three feet of snow, while the temperature has fallen below freezing.
The local administration has warned the tourists in the areas to be cautious while driving on slippery roads. Numerous roads in the area were closed off due to heaviest snowfall of the season so far.
According to the Met Office, intermittent snowfall started in the late hours of Sunday and will continue for another day.