Hundreds of Gojalis stranded as bad weather forces helicopter service down

PT Report

Gilgit, February 5: Vulnerability of the only access route to Gojal has been exposed by the changes in weather pattern. Choppers could not fly to Gojal valley and hundreds of people remain stranded in Gulmit, Gilgit and Aliabad, waiting for the helicopter sorties to resume.

Due to lake of adequate hotel facilities for the public in Gulmit a lot of difficulties are being faced by the stranded commuters. Similarly, in Aliabad and Gilgit low income people are forced to live in hotels for days, while waiting for the flights to take place.

The work on lake breach is likely to take over forty days and even after the lake water starts flowing out, work on the Karakuram Highway will remain untouched. In this scenario the people of Gojal are in high trouble and have demanded alternate mechanism for transportation, including the usage of motor boats in the artificial lake.