MURREE: Traders, hoteliers and the local administration are taking a number of steps to win back tourists after a social media campaign was launched to boycott Murree.

Assistant Police Officer Kamran Hameed told Dawn that a mobile Dolphin Force has been deployed to assist tourists and curb miscreants’ activities, and a post for the force will be set up at the Jika Gali entrance.

Mr Hameed said that although the number of tourists falls in Ramazan, more police teams will deployed in Ramazan. He added that hawkers and agents associations have been told to hang identification cards attested by police, and anyone found without one would be held by the police.

Meeting have also been held with local religious scholars and traders’ representatives to create an atmosphere in which tourists do not feel afraid, he said, adding that the price hike and other issues should also be addressed. Traders’ representatives have also expressed their cooperation.Influenced by a social media campaign to boycott Murree, tourists have instead turned to Ayubiya, Nathia Gali, Azad Kashmir, Kaghan, Naran and other areas.

Hotel and traders’ associations representatives, including Hafiz Javed Abbasi, Sohail Irfan Abbasi, Yasir Risalat Abbasi, Haji Khalil Abbasi, Abdul Hameed Abbasi and others expressed concerns to the local administration, and appealed for action against the agents and hawkers who they said were defaming Murree and scuffling with tourists over petty issues and harassing them.

There have also been complaints of illegal taxi stands on busy roads in the area while illegal parking spaces have been established by local influential individuals by capturing road sides in connivance with Tehsil Municipal Administration staffers.

Tourists, who already face problems due to the lack of legal parking areas, are then charged heavily to park in these spaces.

In addition, there have been complaints of substandard and unhygienic food, sold at high prices. The Punjab Food Authority has started visiting Murree and taking steps against unhygienic food, but they have been manhandled and harassed by traders’ representatives. Cases of such incidents are still in court.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2018