ALPURI: An unusually severe cold wave has gripped Shangla and other upper and plain areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, badly affecting daily life and compounding hardships for residents.
In Alpuri, the district headquarters of the province, and several other localities, freezing conditions have intensified problems, while prolonged electricity outages have emerged as a major crisis, plunging entire valleys into darkness amid biting cold.
According to the Meteorological Department, temperatures in many areas dropped below freezing point, resulting in icy winds that disrupted normal life. The harsh cold has affected not only the mountainous regions but also the plain areas of Shangla, making daily routines extremely difficult for ordinary citizens.
Morning and evening hours have seen markets, shops, and commercial centers deserted, as people remained confined to their homes.
Labourers, students, and daily wage earners are among the worst affected, struggling to cope with the conditions, while state institutions are being criticized for remaining silent spectators. The impact of the cold wave was also evident in the health sector. Elderly people and children in both upper and plain areas are increasingly suffering from pneumonia, cold, cough, and other seasonal illnesses.
Hospitals and basic health units are overcrowded with patients, but shortages of medicines and medical staff are causing severe distress.
