ABBOTTABAD: The remains of a man who had been missing for 28 years were recently uncovered from a glacier in Kohistan’s Lady Valley. Identified as Naseeruddin alias Hajo, from the Saleh Khel tribe, his body was remarkably preserved by the glacier’s conditions. His identity was confirmed through a national identity card found in his pocket.
The body was discovered on August 1 by local shepherd Umar Khan, who frequently visits the area in the summer. Eyewitnesses reported that the body, along with the clothes and physical features, remained largely intact due to the extreme cold, low humidity, and snow cover of the glacier, which contributed to a natural mummification process.
Family sources confirmed that Naseeruddin disappeared in 1997 after reportedly falling into a glacial crevasse while returning from the Sapit Valley with his horse. Despite extensive search efforts at the time, no trace of him was found, and he was declared missing. The recent glacial melt revealed his remains.
Locals recalled that, after Naseeruddin’s disappearance, his family was forced to migrate due to a violent family feud and the subsequent murder of his younger brother, Gardezi, in an honor-related dispute. His family became embroiled in legal troubles, and both Naseeruddin and his other brother, Kaseeruddin, lived in hiding.
According to Kaseeruddin, the brothers had taken an unconventional route through the mountains to avoid threats and heard gunshots during their journey. Naseeruddin tried to hide in an icy cave to escape the attackers but was never seen again. Despite exhaustive searches, no body was found at the time.
Now, 28 years later, Kaseeruddin is considering whether to bury the remains in Lady Valley or return them to their ancestral home. Experts, including Dr. Muhammad Bilal from COMSATS University Abbottabad, explained that the glacier’s conditions—extreme cold, low humidity, reduced oxygen, and snow cover—helped preserve the body.
This discovery comes as glaciers in northern Pakistan are melting rapidly, accelerated by rising temperatures in the region. Dr. Adnan Ahmad Tahir noted that the rapid glacial melt is exposing previously hidden remains and objects. Kohistan’s Additional Deputy Commissioner, Aminul Hassan, emphasized the difficult access to Lady Valley, which requires hours of trekking after a three-hour drive.
This finding underscores the urgent need for environmental research and conservation in vulnerable mountainous regions.
