MANSEHRA: The business community in Naran, the commercial hub of Kaghan Valley, took to the streets on Wednesday against the closure of the Saiful Muluk Lake Road.

“If the ban on tourists travelling to Saiful Muluk Lake is not lifted, the business community will block the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road to traffic in protest on Thursday (today),” Naran Hoteliers’ Association president Seth Matiullah told the protesters.

The protesters, including hoteliers, shopkeepers, vendors and four-wheel-drive vehicle operators, assembled in Naran to protest the ban on tourists’ travel to Saiful Muluk Lake.

They raised slogans in support of their demands, saying the restrictions imposed by the district administration almost a week ago had adversely affected their businesses and the hospitality industry.

“Saiful Muluk Lake is the backbone of the tourism industry in Kaghan Valley, and the Kaghan Development Authority, despite orders from the district administration, has failed to reopen the artery,” Mr Matiullah said.

Another office-bearer of the association, Mohammad Farooq, said that if the KDA did not reopen the artery by Thursday noon, they would block the MNJ Road connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Gilgit-Baltistan.

“We will not allow anyone to destroy the tourism industry in Kaghan Valley through such steps, as the business community has invested billions of rupees and pays huge taxes annually,” he said.

Mr Farooq said the government should promote tourism in Kaghan Valley, adding that more than 150,000 people from across the country earned their livelihoods from tourism in the valley alone.

Meanwhile, Balakot Assistant Commissioner Hasrat Khan said the deputy commissioner had directed the KDA to resume tourism activities on the Saiful Muluk Road after making it safe for visitors.

“We expect that if the weather remains clear, the Saiful Muluk Road will be reopened to traffic by Thursday (today),” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2026