Glacier Reveals 28 Year Mystery in Pakistan

A missing man found preserved in a Kohistan glacier ends a decades long search and underscores how climate driven ice melt exposes hidden stories.

Glacier Reveals 28 Year Mystery in Pakistan

On July 31 a local shepherd named Omar Khan found the body of Naseeruddin, who disappeared in June 1997 in the Supat Valley of Kohistan. The man was preserved in ice for 28 years and the identity card on him remained visible. The find ends a long struggle by his family who searched the glacier for years.

Pakistan has about 7,000 glaciers, one of the largest networks outside the polar regions. Many are melting as climate change advances, which can reveal long hidden stories while also increasing hazards for locals and climbers. The case echoes historic finds like Ötzi the Iceman and shows how ice can preserve and unearth at the same time.

The story puts climate change in human terms. Melting ice is not just numbers on a chart; it moves through families, communities, and local economies as it reveals memories and risks.

At the same time the event invites a careful public conversation about how we document, respect, and study hidden histories. It reminds readers that science and journalism share a responsibility to sift facts while honoring those touched by tragedy.

Highlights

Ice keeps speaking and the world should listen.