MANSEHRA: The adventure-loving tourists from various parts of the country have thronged the snow-clad Siren valley in Mansehra district for mountaineering and trekking.

The valley had received heavy snowfall last week.

“This valley is an awesome natural landscape and high mountainous forests covered with thick snow provided adventurous with an ideal place for the dangerous tracking and hiking in a harsh weather,” said Yasin Rasheed, the group leader of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa trekkers, who covered around 25kg dangerous tracks.

The trekking expedition began at the scenic Mundi area in Siren valley and will end in Ganwal valley of Allai tehsil in Battagram district via Sony Gallai.

The entire track, which passes through high mountainous thick forests, is located almost 12,000 feet above the sea level.

“Though our trip was a dangerous and highly adventurists, we covered glaciers and high peaks covered with snow, which I think is a dream for trekkers and mountaineers to do,” he said.

The group leader said trekkers also saw big streams, fountains and wildlife during the expedition.

Team member Nisar Shahzad said the government should promote winter tourism in the valley, which had unmatched natural beauty and adventure sites.

He said Siren valley had received heavy snowfall.

REGIONAL OFFICES SOON: The mineral department will establish three regional offices in the province for the welfare of mine owners and leaseholders, said deputy director of the department Tahir Khan on Wednesday.

“The government wants to ensure ambiguity-free leasing process for the mining sector,” he told an open forum organised by his department here.

The official said of the proposed regional offices, one would be established in Abbottabad where an officer from the mineral directorate would oversee the leasing process.

He said the leasing contract would be for the minimum five years and that the leasing would be made on first come and first serve basis.

The official said the government would execute welfare schemes for labourers attached to the mining sector.

NAZIM, DEPUTY SWORN-IN: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Wednesday installed its government in Balakot tehsil with the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz dissidents.

Ibrahim Shah of the PTI and Sardar Liaquat Khassana of the PML-N took oath as tehsil nazim and naib nazim respectively.

Assistant commissioner Balakot Fayyaz Khan administered the oath to both Tehsil nazim and naib nazim.

They were elected last week after their predecessors were voted out through a no confidence motion.

The new nazim said his government would serve the people irrespective of their party affiliations.

Adviser to the chief minister and MNA Zargul Khan, who was also present on the occasion, announced Rs50 million funds for development schemes in Balakot on behalf of the chief minister.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2017