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Foreign skiers at a skiing championship held on Malam Jabba's slopes were left stunned by the hill station's ethereal beauty, with some calling it "a skier’s paradise" and others honouring it as "one of the most beautiful slopes in the world".
The 'Malam Jabba International Alpine Ski Cup', held between January 26 to February 3, 2017, marked the first international ski championship held at Malam Jabba in the hill station's history.
Sixty skiers — 50 men and 10 women — from nine countries, including Pakistan, Morocco, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Greece, Afghanistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Tajikistan, participated in the championship.
"This is no doubt a very beautiful ski slope surrounded by beautiful forest, and I really like it. It is FIS [International Ski Federation] standard and a world-class ski slope," Anthonios, an official from the International Ski Federation who was present during the championship, told Dawn.
He pointed out, however, that the government must reconstruct the road leading to Malam Jabba as it was in really bad shape.
Fatima, a skier from Afghanistan, said she was inspired by the scenic beauty of Malam Jabba. "Its slope is splendid, and the environment is serene," she said.
"It is a really dazzling sight with the green forest surrounding [it] and the people are really well-mannered and hospitable," she told Dawn.
Bahruddin, a skier from Tajikistan, also praised the beauty of Malam Jabba and the facilities provided for skiers.
"Swat valley is really a paradise. I have never seen such a paradise-like ski slope in other parts of the world. Everything in Malam Jabba is heart warming and I wish to come here again and again," he told Dawn.
Skiers from Afghanistan not only praised the scenic beauty of Malam Jabba, but were also impressed by the hospitality of the people.
"I found real hospitality and love in the people here. It seems we have entered a splendidly perfect place on earth," said Mohammad Dawood Kargar, a skier from Afghanistan.
The organisers of the championship said that the successful event proved that Pakistan and Swat valley were not only highly beautiful, but also peaceful.
"We have shown the world that Pakistan is one of the most beautiful and safe countries now. Tourists from across the world can come and can enjoy the scenic beauty and hospitality of the people here," said Air Commodore Shahid Nadeem, one of the organisers of the event.
"This year, Naltar [another popular destination for skiers] saw very little snow, and it is also very far, so we shifted the ski events to Malam Jabba. It is good to know that we now have two international standard ski slopes and we can hold events at both sites," he added.
Comments (42)
Such a beautiful Place..wow!
Really a paradise on earth.
It's Amazing, Pakistan is much more beautiful.
Such a stunning place...looks straight from Austria or Switzerland. Pakistan is truly blessed in natural beauty...need to keep it that way.
Amazing Pakistan !!!
Pakistan will have to look to the future with confidence and ease visa restrictions. Allow in tourists and people to people contact so locals can share knowledge and ideas and send visitors back with a better impression of Pakistan.
My amazing Pakistan.
Beautiful.Host an international skiing championship . It will be a world class resort.Few more such places can also be explored in Dir,Chitral,Hunza & Gilgit areas.
Lovely. Happy to read about the place and international event.
Now this is WAHO !!!!!!!!!!! this sport should be promoted ..
Irresistible, simply amazing! Thank you Dawn for making my day. So badly been looking for some good news.
remove terorism, and see how tourists flock
With security situation improving every day.. we will see more and more tourist coming to Pakistan in near future.. Pakistan is beautiful. There are some serene places.
Thank you Dawn for the information and enchanting pictures
Lovely place, will like to visit it some day....
Malam Jabba is one of the most beautiful hill resorts in the world, but it needs to be developed further. There must be easy excess and lodges and hotels built for tourists. Skiers from all over the world would come in winters, and breathtaking beauty in summers would attract domestic and foreign tourists. The government had neglected tourism as an industry for too long, which is promoted by every country in the world.
it is human Resposibility to enhance nature beauty. people also need good restaurant nice hotel and good night life other wise this beauty is good for 24 hrs
We should invite Indian skiers. Let us be the first to extend our friendly arms
Congratulations to Air Commodore Shahid Nadeem, one of the organisers of the event and his committee members. Skiing is very popular in Canada, I am sure if the need arises the Canadian Ambassador can be contacted for any professional assistance required from the top skiing organizations of Canada. I am sure the Canadian Social club of the Canadian High Commission in Islamabad, can request Canadian Skiing organizations to donate lightly used skiing gear, skis, clothing, gloves and goggles for locals of the area.
Serendipity. Wow Swat is no doubt a paradise on earth. Lets build peace and see flood of tourists here.
Pakistan is magical country blessed with every offering. The stunning beauty of Malam Jabba in Swat valley attest that it is heaven on earth. Soon I will be there...
Salam Jabba used to be Pakistan film industry's favorite place to shoot in the 60 and 70's... I hope people start visiting again this beautiful land like they used to. Pakistan!!
My beautiful homeland, God bless you always!
My love my country my paradise
Just a few years ago Talibans were controlling this area and now... Credit goes to the Army and PPP
Beutiful Pakistan! May Allmighty protect it always.
What's the under-construction concrete building in one picture? Is it some sort of facility for the resort? I hope it is designed to blend in with the landscape, not as a concrete scar on it.
We need to promote such events, building proper infrastructure. Our country is blessed with such locations.
Please don't mind me saying, this seems to be only one slope with substandard facilities around. There are better slopes and hills in local municipalities of Northern Ontario. Yes this is a potential for development but not paradise by any means.
Sorry
Soooo beautiful ...... Wow !!!
Great job! Kudos! For the KP government and the staff of Pervaiz Khattak. The team has indeed done a fabulous job in bringing this place back to life.
Ventures like this will add to tourism driven revenues, do positive image building of our nation, create job opportunities for the locals, create newer facilities within the area and encourage winter-sports amongst the Pakistani people. This project indeed hints at the Naya Pakistan we all long for!!
@N How many warm sun drenched sunny beaches in Ontario or elsewhere in Canada...Pakistan has got many. The topographical difference, many climatic zones in Pakistan makes it unique...
@Questioner .this is a 3 star hotel which was completely destroyed by militants now pti govt first reestablished chairlift and now starting hotel
Very pleased to see revival of such events in Pakistan again....
@wellwisher Agreed
@Shahid Credit goes to the current provincial government not ppp
Absolutely breathtaking beauty. Well done Pakistan.
waaahhh what a beauty,,, nice to that govt is promoting tourism,,,
@N.Sid It is just a mere gimps of the bigger picture. Some day come and see the fascinating Northern Pakistan. 3 highest mountain ranges of the world converge here, gifting 163 summits exceeding 7000 meters and five 8000nders. No other country matches these figures but I know Austria is also one of the most beautiful countries of the world...
A pleasure and honour to welcome you all, best wishes PK.
That intrusion of that manmade three storey building on the right side in the first photo will become an eyesore soon. Why on earth they have to come up with such a high rise structure in this beautiful place. Why it was allowed even?
Our German neighbor in Karachi still lives there in that area during summers. She always says no place on earth can match what we have in the northern areas
Pakistan has a lot of snow capped mountains slopes many are untouched by man kind and second to none. Pakistan is a still a 3rd world country. There is one good thing about poverty people don't go to these sacred places and leave them alone, just like untouched by mankind for centuries. Seems like where every excessive human population goes, natural beauty of the place, slowly but sure degrades. Human waste such as trash etc., cause damage to the serine beauty of these mountains and valleys. Perhaps it's a good idea to educate people before they can go and enjoy the ski and other sports like other developed nations. Love to Pakistan my Indus Valley Land.