Landslides Kill 10, Block Key China-Pakistan Highway

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At least 10 people have died and thousands of motorists are stranded after severe landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains blocked the Karakoram Highway, a strategic trade route linking Pakistan and China. The disruption has brought traffic and commerce to a halt along a critical part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The Karakoram Highway, often referred to as the “eighth wonder of the world” due to its high-altitude engineering, has been rendered impassable at multiple points after intense rainfall sent mud, debris, and large boulders tumbling down steep mountain slopes. According to local authorities, several sections of the highway in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces were buried under landslides. Emergency crews have been deployed, but operations have been hampered by ongoing rainfall and unstable terrain.

Rescue teams are working around the clock to clear roads and evacuate stranded travelers. Footage shared by Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority shows long lines of vehicles backed up on both sides of the blockage, with some drivers reportedly stuck for over 24 hours. Local police confirmed that food and water supplies are being distributed to those affected, although access remains limited in the most remote areas.

The Karakoram Highway forms a vital artery of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project spearheaded by Beijing under its Belt and Road Initiative. While the route has been hailed for strengthening economic ties between the two nations, this latest disruption underscores the vulnerability of such infrastructure to natural hazards in mountainous regions.

Observers have raised concerns over Pakistan’s readiness and resilience in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events. While emergency response teams are doing their best with limited resources, critics argue that long-term infrastructure planning and investment remain insufficient. “The Karakoram Highway is not just a road it’s an economic lifeline,” said Dr. Usman Tariq, an Islamabad-based analyst. “Pakistan must do more to protect and maintain it, especially as climate volatility intensifies.”

As of now, authorities have not provided a timeline for full restoration of the route. With trade and passenger traffic suspended, the economic ripple effects particularly for northern Pakistan’s already fragile economy are expected to grow the longer the highway remains closed.