ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army successfully rescued all eight stranded persons on a chairlift suspended hundreds of feet in the air on Tuesday in northwestern Pakistan, putting an end to a rescue operation that spanned several hours due to darkness and weather conditions. 

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a local transportation chairlift was stuck at an altitude of around 900 feet when its cable broke in Battagram district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.

The office of the Battagram Deputy Commissioner told Arab News the incident took place at 8:00 am on as six students and two local residents were using the chairlift to cross the valley to get to school. The chairlift is operated privately by locals to facilitate transportation across the river due to the absence of roads or bridges in the remote northern region.

Pakistan Army commandos conducted a rescue operation that spanned over 10 hours to rescue the stranded citizens aboard the chairlift. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar appreciated the armed forces, rescue officials, and district administration for the successful rescue operation.

“Relieved to know that Alhamdolillah all the kids have been successfully and safely rescued,” Kakar wrote on the social media platform X. 

Interior Minister Senator Sarfaraz Bugti confirmed the operation had concluded successfully.

“All appreciation for our valiant armed forces personnel, administration & locals for their selflessness and determination in carrying out this complex operation,” Bugti wrote on the X platform. 

The Pakistan Army had earlier rescued two children from the stranded chairlift via a helicopter operation. However, the army was forced to adopt an alternative measure from the ground due to darkness and weather conditions. 

A dolly was placed on the same wire to bring it closer to the affected chairlift, Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Bilal Faizi told Arab News. He added that the dolly was used to provide food to the stranded persons and rescue them from the chairlift, which had lost weight already after two children were earlier rescued from it. 

“Pakistan Army has brought local cable crossing experts from northern areas for this operation, whose services are also being utilized,” he added. 

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar had directed NDMA, PDMA, and other rescue agencies to mobilize all resources for the rescue mission. He also called for setting up “stringent safety measures” on all chairlifts in mountainous regions and ordered the closure of units that did not meet safety requirements.