Pakistan
'There are no roads or bridges in our area': Chairlift passenger
A cable snap incident left passengers stranded for hours in Bajaur.
Bajaur: Gulfaraz, one of the passengers who remained stranded in a chairlift for hours due to a cable snap incident in Bajaur, stated that they were not entirely comfortable with such journeys but were compelled by circumstances.
A union council of Alai in Bajaur district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, witnessed a cable snap incident on the morning of August 22, leaving 8 individuals, including 7 school children, stranded in a chairlift while heading to school.
They were rescued later in the night.
Gulfaraz, speaking to the media, expressed, "There are no roads or bridges in our area. We are not at all comfortable with this type of chairlift journey, but it's a necessity for us."
Gulfaraz described that they were all seated in the chairlift around 7:30 AM, and after a short while into the journey, the cable broke.
He recounted, "When the rope of the chairlift broke, we felt that our hopes of survival were dashed. We simply remembered Allah."
He shared that the school children with him were particularly distressed, and the area had no mobile signals.
Around 8:00 PM, when they finally got a signal, they made contact, and subsequently, arrangements were made for their rescue by the local administration and the Pakistan Army.
Gulfaraz urged others to carry food and water supplies in such chairlifts to be prepared for difficult times.
He emphasized that he was not content with such chairlifts, and urged the government to construct bridges and roads in the region. "The government is not poor; bridges and roads can be built everywhere."