UPPER DIR: Provincial Minister for Tourism Atif Khan said here on Tuesday that Rs5 billion would be spent on construction of road to tourist destination Kumrat.

He said that initial survey of the project was already completed. He added natural beauty of Kumrat would be preserved at any cost for which both government and local people would make efforts.

He was talking to the residents of Kumrat during his one-day visit to Upper Dir. During his visit, he went to Upper Dir’s tourist spots including Kumrat and Jazz Banda.

Atif Khan urges local people to preserve natural beauty of the area

PTI Malakand division secretary information Farhad Ali Khan, sports managing director Junaid, and others were also present on the occasion.

The minister made it clear to the residents of Kumrat and Thal that before construction of the road, a proper strategy and roadmap would be devised about setting up hotels, motels and other structures in the picturesque valley.

He said that unchecked construction of hotels and shops would affect the natural beauty of the area within few years. “It will be shocking both for the people of Upper Dir and promotion of tourism in the country,” said Atif Khan.

He urged the local people to preserve the forests of Kumrat valley. He said that the brutal cutting of forests in Kumrat should be stopped immediately. He added that he observed fresh cutting of trees in Kumrat that could harm the natural beauty of the scenic valley.

The minister said that he came to Kumrat for the first time and found it more beautiful than Switzerland. He said that provincial government and tourism department would continue making efforts to promote Kumrat as an attractive tourist destination.

Mr Khan said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was also very fond of tourism and directed him to promote tourism in the province. He added that efforts would be made to discover new tourist spots in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that it was the responsibility of local people to make efforts for preservation of beauty of the picturesque valley. He said that the natural beauty of the area would attract tourists that would benefit the local people.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2019