Roads leading to Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were blocked as heavy snow blanketed vast lands in the upper areas.

Shandur Pass in the Ghizer district of Gilgit Baltistan received more than two feet of snow in the last 24 hours as the weather turned chilly.

Commuters were stuck after the Gilgit-Chitral Road was blocked following the land-sliding at Bargo area.

The residents of Shandur also complained about the suspension of electricity and gas supply.

The authorities in Azad Kashmir announced the postponement of elementary examination in seven districts as land sliding blocked roads in Muzzaffarabad.

Meanwhile, the intermittent snowfall and rain in KP’s Abbottabad resulted in blocked roads, causing problems for locals.

Nathia Gali was covered by one-foot snow as roads including Murree Road and other Link Roads were shut for commuters.

In Lower Dir, heavy snowfall was recorded for the second day in the hilly areas as the border area of Shahi received more than one foot of snow.

Meanwhile, atleast four people have died in weather related accidents. Atleast two houses were completely destroyed while two were partially damaged.

Chief Meteorologist at Pakistan Meteorological Department Dr Sardar Sarfaraz on Monday said that a fresh spell of rain, hailstorms, and snow is expected across the country from February 25 where Karachi city and Balochistan province will also witness light showers along with thunderstorms.

“We are expecting some good rains from Feb 25, which will continue till March or may even extend to April under the influence of westerly waves,” he said, “snowfall on hills in the northern areas is also expected during this period, which would end fog and smog in the country”.

According to Sarfaraz, many parts of the country would witness partly cloudy skies along with drizzles and snow till Wednesday under the rain spell that started on Sunday.

Locals and tourists were facing hurdles in movement in Swat as heavy snowfall blanketed roads.

The electricity supply to Malam Jabba, Kishawra, and Spine Oba was disrupted for more than 10 hours amid heavy snowfall.

The Met Office has predicted more rain-wind thunderstorms and snowfall over the hills with isolated heavy rain hailstorms in most parts of KP.

Rain is predicted in Chitral, Lower and Upper Dir, Malakand, Buner, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Torghar, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Swabi, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Charsadda, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, Hangu, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, North and South Waziristan, Tank and DI Khan districts.

Heavy rain snowfall may disrupt and cause closure of roads and may cause landslides in Chitral, Swat, Dir, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Torghar, Mansehra and Abbottabad.