A cable car carrying eight passengers, including six schoolchildren, snapped mid-air in Battagram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, prompting the deployment of Pakistan Army’s quick response force. The incident occurred in the Allai tehsil early morning on Tuesday, leaving the passengers stranded at a height of approximately 3,000 feet. Local authorities immediately requested a helicopter for rescue operations.
The cable car was privately operated by locals as an essential means of transportation across rivers due to the lack of roads or bridges in the area. Mufti Gulamullah, the Allai tehsil Chairman, reported that two wires of the cable car snapped, causing the passengers to get stuck.
A military helicopter surveyed the area for 15 minutes prior to the arrival of a Pakistan Army helicopter, which occurred nearly four hours after the children got stuck. The caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaarul Haq Kakar, instructed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), and other relevant rescue agencies to utilize all resources for the immediate rescue of the trapped individuals. Furthermore, he emphasized the need for safety measures and requested a safety audit of all chairlifts and cable cars in hilly areas.
Local school teacher Zafar Iqbal revealed that the stranded children had been in the cable car for four to five hours. He expressed concern about the lack of road facilities in the area, forcing around 150 students to rely on the cable car for their daily journey to school. The incident has highlighted the need for regular maintenance of cable cars and chairlifts due to their frequent use.
The situation is ongoing, and we will continue to update the story as it evolves. We strive to provide accurate and timely information from credible sources, including concerned authorities and our staff reporters.