The perfectly mummified body of a hiker who vanished nearly three decades ago has been discovered frozen in a glacier, bringing closure to a mystery that began in 1997.
Authorities were alerted after an ID card was found on the body bearing the name Naseeruddin. Police then managed to link the remains to a hiker who disappeared in June 1997, reportedly after falling into a glacier crack in Pakistan during a snowstorm.
Shocked shepherd Omar Khan described his incredible find to the BBC: “What I saw was unbelievable. The body was intact. The clothes were not even torn.” Locals started providing more information after police confirmed the identity as Naseeruddin. The story echoes that of a body found after many years after the person was reported being reported missing in the Himalayan mountains
It was later revealed that Naseeruddin had a wife and two children. He had been hiking on horseback with his brother Kathiruddin on the day he went missing. Police explained that an argument within the family led the two men to leave home together.
According to his brother, they arrived in the so-called Lady Valley on the morning of Naseeruddin’s disappearance. That afternoon, Naseeruddin stepped into a cave and never returned. Kathiruddin and others searched tirelessly but were unable to find him.
Nearly thirty years later, on August 1, his body was found in near-perfect condition, preserved by the glacier’s extreme cold, low humidity, reduced oxygen and snow cover—conditions that experts say can naturally mummify human remains for centuries.
Naseeruddin was 33 years old when he vanished and belonged to the Saleh Khel tribe. Authorities have launched DNA tests to confirm his identity, though family and friends have already recognised him thanks to his remarkably well-preserved facial features.
The discovery has put an end to previous rumours that Naseeruddin may have been murdered during his trip. After years of uncertainty, his family finally have answers.
The Kohistan region where he was found is renowned for its pastures, lakes, and forests—a popular seasonal destination for local herders.
This remarkable case echoes a similar discovery last year in Peru, where the mummified body of climber William Stampfl was found entombed in ice 22 years after he disappeared following an avalanche on Huascaran mountain. Despite frantic searches at the time, Stampfl’s body remained hidden under snow for two decades.
