In Siachen,avalanche buries 100 Pak troops

Some reports suggested that 135 to 150 soldiers had been hit by the avalanche.

The avalanche hit a battalion headquarters at Gyari in Siachen sector at 5.45 am.

Chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas told the media that over 100 soldiers of the Northern Light Infantry,including a Colonel,were trapped following the avalanche. Helicopters,sniffer dogs,additional troops and teams of doctors were sent to the desolate region as the army launched a massive rescue operation.

Army officials said heavy engineering machinery has been moved by air from Rawalpindi to speed up the rescue work. But state-run Pakistan Television said rescuers were facing difficulties in moving heavy machinery to the far-flung area. It said the avalanche hit at a time when the soldiers were asleep.

The incident occurred at a spot located at a height of 16,000 feet and about 300 km from Skardu in the eastern Karakoram mountain range. Gyari is home to an important battalion headquarters and at one time,up to 3,000 soldiers were based in the area.

Following the ceasefire along the frontiers in Jammu and Kashmir,both India and Pakistan reduced troop levels. The Siachen glacier is known as the world’s highest and coldest battlefield.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed shock and concern at the loss of lives and trapping of soldiers.

Rezaul H Laskar