# Babusar Top road reopens after three-day snow closure; KKH open with care in Nagar

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/pakistan/babusar-pass-road-status)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 16 Oct 2026
Updated: 17 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 18 Oct 2026

> Police have restored traffic on the Babusar road from both the Gilgit and Naran sides. What travellers to Gilgit-Baltistan should check before setting off.

**Update, Saturday 17 October 2026: the Babusar Top road has reopened to all traffic after three days.** Police said traffic has been restored from both the Gilgit side and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Naran) side after the snowfall closure, [ProPakistani reported](https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/17/babusar-top-road-reopens-after-three-day-closure/) on Saturday evening. Three oil tankers that had been stuck at Babusar Top for three days were recovered by police and sent on their way.

## Before you drive over Babusar this week

1. **Expect snow and ice at the top.** The pass is above 4,000 metres and this was an early closure; more snow can shut it again at short notice.
2. **Cross in daylight** and do not plan to stop at the top after dark.
3. **Call the police helpline 15** before setting off from Naran or Chilas to confirm the road is still open.
4. **Keep the KKH as your fallback** through Besham and Chilas if the weather turns.

*Earlier, Friday 16 October 2026:*

**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** on 16 Oct for heavy snow at Babusar Top (**reopened 17 Oct**) |
| 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 if the Babusar road closes again.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is Babusar Pass open today?**

Yes. Police reopened the Babusar Top road to all traffic on 17 October 2026 after a three-day closure for snow, ProPakistani reported. Check with helpline 15 before travelling, as fresh snow can close it again.

**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

- Babusar Top Road Reopens After Three-Day Closure (17 Oct 2026) (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/17/babusar-top-road-reopens-after-three-day-closure/
- 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 Top road reopens after three-day snow closure; KKH open with care in Nagar", Searchable, 17 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/pakistan/babusar-pass-road-status