Frozen in Time: The Man Who Returned from a Glacier After 28 Years

 

Frozen in Time: The Man Who Returned from a Glacier After 28 Years

In 1997, deep in the rugged mountains of northern Pakistan, a young man named Naseeruddin vanished without a trace.
He was 31 years old, a husband, and a father of two. When a violent conflict erupted in his village, he fled with his brother into the high mountains, hoping to find safety among the snow and rocks.

But that escape would become his final journey. According to his brother, “That afternoon, he went inside a cave to hide… and never came out.”

---

Decades of Silence

For years, the family searched.
They climbed glaciers, trekked through valleys, and scanned treacherous crevasses — hoping for even the smallest sign.
But the glacier kept its secret, holding him in its icy grasp.

Over the years, the children grew up, the parents aged, and the hope of finding him alive faded. Yet, they never stopped wondering.

---

The Day the Glacier Spoke

On July 31, 2025, a shepherd in the Kohistan region’s Lady Meadows Glacier noticed something unusual.
Amid melting ice, a hand emerged — still wearing clothes intact, frozen in time.
Next to it lay an ID card, the name still legible: Naseeruddin.

It was as if the glacier had preserved not just his body, but the very moment he disappeared.

---

Why the Body Was Perfectly Preserved

Glaciologists explain that the lack of oxygen, extreme cold, and low humidity inside a glacier create the perfect conditions for natural mummification.
The ice shields the body from wind, moisture, and decay — allowing it to remain almost unchanged for decades.

---

A Family’s Closure

For the family, the discovery was bittersweet.
His nephew shared, “We tried everything for years. We went to the glacier many times, but it was impossible. Now… at least we can bring him home. We feel some peace.”

On August 6, they laid Naseeruddin to rest. It wasn’t a joyful reunion, but a long-awaited farewell.

---

A Global Warning from the Ice

Pakistan is home to over 13,000 glaciers, more than any other country outside the polar regions. But due to climate change, these glaciers are melting faster than ever — revealing long-lost climbers, hikers, and villagers frozen decades ago.

In recent years:

• In Peru, the body of an American climber was found 22 years after disappearing.

• In Switzerland, a couple missing for 75 years was uncovered as a glacier retreated.

Each discovery is both a personal story of loss and a stark reminder:

The ice is melting. 

The past is surfacing. And our climate is changing faster than we think.

---

💬 "The glacier remembers… and one day, it will tell its stories."