GILGIT: The dispute between the Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department and tour operators over a hike in mountaineering and trekking permit fees has caused a delay in the issuance of permits to foreign mountaineers and trekkers.

Over 200 foreign trekkers and mountaineers through their tour operators have already applied for trekking and mountaineering in Gilgit-Baltistan; however, the tourism department has not issued permits, citing a decision by the GB chief court that suspended the increase in the permit fees.

The tourism department had sanctioned a 300 per cent increase in the mountaineering royalty and trekking fee for foreigners earlier this year. The tour operators challenged the decision in the Chief Court, which subsequently suspended the hike till the next hearing. It also issued notices to the respondents. The court is expected to take up the case today.

Pakistan Association of Tour Operators President Niaz Ahmed told Dawn that so far 200 foreign mountaineers and trekkers have applied for permits, but the GB tourism department has not issued permits to the adventurers at previous rates.

Tour operators claim govt reluctant to issue permits to foreigners at previous rates in setback for tourism sector

According to Mr Ahmed, the court has only suspended the recent increase and has not stopped the department from issuing permits to foreigners for trekking and mountaineering in GB.

He said the delay was impacting the tourism industry, as thousands of foreigners were expected to visit the region to climb mountains in the summer. Similarly, the tour operators also appeared concerned, saying not a single expedition visited Pakistan in winter. Mr Ahmed feared that foreign mountaineers and trekkers would not visit GB this summer due to a delay in the issuance of permits.

Adventure Tours Pakistan CEO Naiknaam Karim told Dawn that his foreign clients had applied for a trekking permit for the Panmah Glacier-Sim Pass expedition, scheduled from March 24 to April 23. The group had secured international travel arrangements and necessary route clearances from the relevant authorities, but the tourism department did not issue a permit upon their arrival in Pakistan.

They had no option but to send the foreign trekkers back, Mr Karim rued. He said such decisions affected the tourism industry and this delay further complicated the issue.

He said thousands of climbers and trekkers would cancel their plans in the absence of permits and this would likely cause a huge loss to the GB people, who are mainly affiliated with the tourism sector. He claimed that at an international event in Germany, the officials of the tourism department had assured the international tour operators of issuing permits at previous rates.

It may be noted that foreigners have to pay $500 for trekking in Pakistan, whereas in Nepal, the trekking fee is only $30. The trekking fees in Pakistan vary by location and altitude, with an average fee of $500, according to Mr Karim.

After the recent hike, one foreigner will have to pay more than $4,000 in royalty fees to climb one of the eight thousanders in GB, while in Nepal royalty fee for such a peak was $1,800 per person.

Tourism department’s Zamir Abbas told Dawn that the Chief Court suspended the increase in the mountaineering royalty and trekking fees. He said the court had not ordered them to issue permits at previous rates, adding that the increase was made in the Finance Act 2024.

Mr Abbas said the tourism department could only issue permits at previous rates under the erstwhile Finance Act, which had been revoked by the GB Assembly for the Finance Act 2024. He, however, assured that the department would implement the court order.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2025