MANSEHRA: Touristshave declared Kaghan valley paradise on earth due to its natural scenic landscapes but complained about poor infrastructure.

“I have never come across this kind of natural beauty in my life. Green cover, waterfalls and glaciers make this area paradise on earth,” Indonesian tourist Fin Fan told Dawn along a waterfall on the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road in Kaghan area.

The area stands between Naran and Battakundi.

Ms Fan said her country attracted large crowds of tourists even from Pakistan, but she was in Kaghan to “experience the nature, which is close to my heart and soul.”

She regretted that the MNJ Roadwas potholed at some points.

Declare valley paradise on earth due to natural scenic landscapes

Mrs. Mansoor, a tourist from Multan, said she was fascinated by the region’s natural beauty during her first visit.

“Having come to this area along with my husband and son on a traditional bike, I’m enjoying the soothing, green environment amid pleasant weather when a heatwave is sweeping through most parts of the country,” she said.

Tourists en route to Babusar Top and the neighbouring Gilgit-Baltistan region make a stopover along the Kunhar River, which runs parallel to the MNJ Road.

They insisted that police checkposts on the MNJ Road from Kaghan town to Babusar Top, a boundary between KP and GB, gave them a sense of security during the travel and stay in the region.

Hussain Deen, owner of the Moon Restaurant in Basal area, welcomed tourists to upper parts of Kaghan valley and said his was the only eatery at the widely stretched upper valley along the MNJ Road.

He said his hotel served free meals and night stay to the tourists recently when they were stranded in the area due to landslides.

The Kaghan Development Authority said it was diligently doing its work of developing the region and promoting tourism there.

KDA deputy director Asad Shahzad told Dawn that the municipality had taken several initiatives to address issues facing the tourism industry, especially hotels, protect the environment, and develop the region.

Chairmen of 18 village councils in the region criticised the KDA over its poor performance and said they took up the matter with adviser to the chief minister on tourism Zafar Mehmood during a recent meeting.

“The KDA has miserably failed to act in line with its mandate. It is just imposing taxes and doing nothing concrete to promote tourism in the picturesque valley,” chairman of the Pattan Daeesvillage council Raja Khalid Nawaz Khan told Dawn.

Mr Khan said Kaghan should be declared a tax-free zone to the relief of the local hotels, which first suffered a lot from the Covid-19 pandemic, then from last year’s flash floods and currently from the melting of glaciers.

He also said locals should be allowed to establish a “business hub” along the Kunhar River as the valley remained without commercial and other activities fromNovember to the middle of May due to heavy snowfall.

Hotel owner Naveedur Rehman complained about the dilapidated MNJ Road and said tourism suffered from it a great deal.

“We [hotels] are overtaxed but authorities don’t facilitate our business. They should develop infrastructure,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2023