# Babusar Pass closed by snow, two killed by rockfall on KKH in Nagar as rain hits Gilgit-Baltistan

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/pakistan/babusar-pass-closed-by-snow-two-killed-by-rockfall-on-kkh-in-nagar-as-rain-hits)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 16 Oct 2026
Updated: 16 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 16 Oct 2026

> The Karakoram Highway is open but landslides hit the Nagar section and Khunjerab is slippery. Babusar road is shut. What travellers to GB need to know this weekend.

**The Babusar Pass road has been closed to all traffic after heavy snowfall at Babusar Top, and two young men from Gulmat in Nagar district were killed on Thursday when a rock hit their vehicle near the Pissan section of the Karakoram Highway (KKH), [Dawn reported](https://www.dawn.com/news/2037499/two-killed-as-rain-snow-disrupt-life-across-gilgit-baltistan) on Friday 16 October 2026.** They were taken to a government hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead.

Upper Gilgit-Baltistan has had intermittent snow and the lower valleys rain since Wednesday, and heavy rain was still falling in Nagar when the report was filed.

## Road status

| Route | Status (16 Oct) |
| --- | --- |
| Babusar Pass road (Naran to Chilas) | **Closed** to all traffic, heavy snow at Babusar Top |
| Karakoram Highway | **Open**, but landslides at several points in the Nagar section on Wednesday and Thursday |
| Khunjerab Pass (Pakistan-China) | Traffic disrupted by slippery roads; Tourist Police call conditions "potentially dangerous" |
| Link roads in Astore, Skardu, Ghanche, Shigar, Kharmang, Hunza and Nagar | Many blocked in upper areas |

Many tourists were stranded near Babusar Top on Wednesday night; Diamer police brought them to safety, Dawn reported.

## If you are travelling north this weekend

1. **Do not plan on Babusar.** Use the KKH through Besham and Chilas instead, and expect delays.
2. **Call the police helpline 15** to check the KKH's status before you set off, as the GB police advise.
3. **Travel in daylight** through the Nagar and Hunza stretches, where rockfall is most likely after rain.
4. **Carry fuel, warm clothes and food** for a night in the car if a slide closes the road behind you.

## Why mid-October

Babusar usually closes for the winter in November, so an October closure is early, but early snow at the top is not unusual. The [PMD's monsoon review](/news/science/pakistans-warmest-monsoon-in-66-years-307c-average-rain-19percent-below-normal) this week called this year's monsoon the warmest in 66 years; autumn western weather systems bring the first snow to the passes around now.

Planning the drive? Our [fuel cost calculator](/tools/cars/fuel-cost-calculator) prices the Islamabad to Gilgit round trip at today's [petrol price](/data/petrol-price).

We will update this page when the Babusar road reopens.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is Babusar Pass open today?**

No. On 16 October 2026 the Babusar Pass road was closed to all traffic because of heavy snowfall at Babusar Top, Dawn reported.

**Is the Karakoram Highway open?**

Yes, the KKH was open on 16 October 2026, but landslides hit the Nagar section and Khunjerab was slippery. Call police helpline 15 before travelling.

## Sources

- Two killed as rain, snow disrupt life across Gilgit-Baltistan (16 Oct 2026) (Dawn): https://www.dawn.com/news/2037499/two-killed-as-rain-snow-disrupt-life-across-gilgit-baltistan

How to cite: "Babusar Pass closed by snow, two killed by rockfall on KKH in Nagar as rain hits Gilgit-Baltistan", Searchable, 16 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/pakistan/babusar-pass-closed-by-snow-two-killed-by-rockfall-on-kkh-in-nagar-as-rain-hits