Peshawar: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the Commissioner Hazara Division to closely monitor the overall situation emerging due to heavy snowfall in Galyat and surrounding areas and to put in place all the required arrangements to effectively deal with any emergency situation.

The Chief Minister has further directed to keep district administration and rescue agencies on high alert in the area and to take necessary action to rescue the stranded tourists in surroundings of Galyat including Murree. The Chief Minister on Saturday telephonically directed the Commissioner Hazara that the situation in Galyat, Murree and surrounding areas should be closely monitored round the clock and he (the Chief Minister) be kept updated about the latest situation.

He further directed the Commissioner to extend all possible assistance to the Rawalpindi administration for the rescue of the stranded tourists in Murree and to establish close liaison with the Rawalpindi administration for rescue and relief operations adding that all tourists stranded in these tourist spots should be shifted to hotels and other safe places.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister in a statement issued here regarding the snowfall situation in Galyat said that, he was himself monitoring the situation in Galyat and surrounding areas, and no unpleasant incident related to tourists has taken place in Galyat.

He said that the district administration, including the Galyat Development Authority and Rescue 1122, have been placed on high alert to deal with any situation there.

The Chief Minister said that the concerned district administration, Galyat Development Authority and Rescue 1122 are engaged in operations with all manpower and machinery to remove snow from the roads, rescue vehicles stuck in the snow and evacuate tourists to safer places.