The Karakoram Highway (KKH), the main road linking Pakistan‑occupied Gilgit‑Baltistan (PoGB) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, remained partially blocked on Monday after flash floods and a protest sit‑in in the Thor area of Diamer district left hundreds of travellers and transporters stranded, local media reported.
Heavy floodwaters at multiple points along the route, combined with demonstrators blocking the road, brought traffic to a standstill. Passenger buses, private cars and goods vehicles were queued in long lines on both sides of the highway, creating large bottlenecks on this strategic corridor.
People caught in the disruption — including women, children and older passengers — faced lengthy delays and difficult conditions. Commuters reported shortages of drinking water, food and other essentials and said there were no adequate relief arrangements at the scene.
Local residents told reporters the sit‑in in Thor was prompted by a recent incident in the area and an ongoing security forces search operation in Diamer. Protesters, who continued the demonstration into a second day, refused to allow the road to reopen until their demands are met, according to accounts carried by Pakistani outlet The Nation.
Heightened security at entry and exit points during the operation added to tensions and further impeded movement between PoGB and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The extended closure generated severe traffic jams and anger among stranded passengers, many of whom said officials offered little information about when the highway would be cleared.
Travellers appealed to district authorities to provide immediate relief and to arrange alternative transport or shelter. Transporters and traders warned that a prolonged shutdown could disrupt supplies of essential goods to PoGB and neighbouring areas, potentially creating wider shortages.
The initial coverage of the situation was reported by ANI and syndicated in local media.
