An almost three-decade-long mystery in Pakistan’s remote Kohistan district has finally been solved, providing a grieving family with long-awaited closure. 

The mummified remains of a local man, Naseeruddin, who vanished in the summer of 1997, were discovered by a shepherd, perfectly preserved within a receding glacier. 

This extraordinary find not only puts an end to years of uncertainty but also highlights the accelerating impact of climate change on the world’s ice formations.

The body was discovered on August 1 by a shepherd named Omar Khan, who came across the  intact remains.

“What I saw was unbelievable,” Khan told the BBC. “The body was intact. The clothes were not even torn.” 

An identification card found on the body bore the name Naseeruddin, allowing authorities to link the remains to a 33-year-old man who disappeared during a trip with his brother, Kathiruddin.

Police and local news reports shed light on the events surrounding Naseeruddin’s disappearance. The two brothers had reportedly left their village on horseback after a family dispute, choosing an unconventional mountain route to avoid potential threats.

According to Kathiruddin’s account, they heard gunfire on their journey and, in a desperate attempt to escape, Naseeruddin took refuge in a nearby cave. He was never seen again. 

Despite extensive searches by Kathiruddin and others at the time, his body could not be located, and the family eventually held a symbolic funeral. 

The recent discovery has finally put to rest any speculation that Naseeruddin may have been murdered.

The near-perfect preservation of Naseeruddin’s body – right down to his facial features – is a rare natural phenomenon. 

Experts say the glacier’s extreme cold, low humidity, and lack of oxygen and scavengers created a natural mummification process, freeze-drying the remains for centuries. 

The body was exposed as a result of a record-breaking hot summer and reduced snowfall in the region, which has led to a rapid glacial melt.

DNA tests have been initiated to confirm the identity, but Naseeruddin’s family and friends have already recognised him.

The case echoes a similar find last year in Peru, where the mummified remains of American climber William Stampfl were discovered 22 years after he was buried by an avalanche on Mount Huascaran.

Like Naseeruddin, Stampfl’s body, clothing, and even personal items like his driver’s license were found largely intact.

IOL News

Source link