MALAM JABBA, Nov 11 (APP): Known as Switzerland of Pakistan, Swat has started attracting an influx of tourists and adventure sports enthusiasts along with families to enjoy the first snowfall of the winter season.
In the wake of Met Office’s report of rains and snowfalls over the hills in upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Swat, Dir, Chitral, Abbottabad and Mansehra on Monday, the snowfall lovers from across the country especially Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa they thronged to Kalam, Bahrain and Malam Jabba.
The tourists enjoyed light snowfall at Upper Kalam and Malam Jabba amid great fun and laughter.
Besides Kalam and Malam Jabba, the snowy mountain peaks of Gabin Jabba, Miandam, Matiltan, Kalam, Utror, Gabral, Matiltan, Mahodand, Loye Sar resorts drew an influx of snowfall lovers along with families and children.
“I love snowfall. I came from Peshawar to my favorite tourists’ destination Swat for snowfall following MET’s office forecast besides enjoying its brown trout fish at a reasonable rate,” said Fayaz Khan, a retired school teacher while talking to APP.
Advising tourists to bring warm clothes, he said the cold breeze has increased the chill in Upper Swat forcing tourists to wear additional clothes and woollen sweaters.
Tourists from Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Charsadda, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad were seen in large numbers at Kalam, Malam Jabba and Bahrain on Sunday to get pleasures from snowfall, trout fish and river rafting on the weekend.
Known for a combination of its seven distinctive features including snowfall that was hard to find together in any tourist destination of Pakistan, Swat is also home to primitive Gandhara civilization and ice skiing at Malam Jabba.
Besides river rafting, adventure sports, snow-clad mountain peaks and trout-fish, he said Swat motorway has made it an ideal destination for winter tourism and sports in Pakistan.
‘I have visited many countries but could not find such distinctive features together found in Swat’ said Manzoorul Haq, former Ambassador while talking to APP.
He said the 150-kilometre long freshwater of the river Swat originating from different glaciers and lakes including Mahodand and Gabral mountains offers unique opportunities for adventure sports enthusiasts to explore in a single day trip along with loved ones.
Fazagut, Fatehpur, Barikot, and Chakdara were most suitable for water rafting in river Swat and, if developed on modern lines, could attract many tourists during winter.
Ambassador Manzoor said River Swat was ideal for ‘fish jumping and disappearing water sports’ and the introduction of such sports would help bolster the rural economy, and promote tourism and transport industries in KP.
Bestowed with more than 50 high-altitude small and big lakes, Swat’s Mahodand lake is an exceptional source of attraction for tourists enjoying its blue- waters and boats riding amid cold breezes and snowfalls.
Nasir Khan, a property dealer of Wapda Town, told APP that he came from Nowshera to enjoy snowfall in Kalam, and trout fish of River Swat and Mahudhand Lake. He said Mahudand and Gabrial lakes carried unique charm and clean air besides nearby birds chanting valleys take tourists into a lap of serenity.
“I have ordered 2 KG trout fish to enjoy with my family members,” he said, adding green trout of Swat attract foodies at Kalam, Madain and other areas of the district.
Besides its famous Deodar trees and precious wildlife, he said the Swat’s snow-clad tall mountain ranges of Falakser, Mankial and Elum peaks offer great challenges to mountaineers and trekkers to explore especially during winter.
Likewise, its extensive plains and orchards that bear fruits and vegetables carried a unique comparative advantage than other tourist destinations of the country.
Attracting Buddhists, monks and archaeologists from across the world throughout the year, he said the Swat’s archaeological treasures and ancient artefacts housed at Saidu Sharif Museum become a distinctive feature taking tourists to the glorious history of Swat.
Archeologists and tourists visited different Buddhist sites of Swat including Saidu Sharif Museum and Stupa besides the Buthkara Buddhist monastery which impressed them a lot.
Ambassador Manzoor said Swat was very important in terms of Buddhist history in Pakistan and must be visited by followers of Buddhism from all around the world.
“Another striking feature of Swat is skiing sports being played at Malam Jabba every year during winter and such sport was hardly placed in any part of the country.”
KP tourism department officials told APP that a mega project was prepared for organising different winter sports and tourism events in various districts including Swat.
Kalam’s winter gala and tour-de-cycle race would be organized in Swat while the first-ever sports rafting at River Swat to be held besides a paragliding event.
To reduce tourists’ load at Kalam, Malam Jabba and Bahrain, new tourist spots would be developed at Sola Tanar, Puchar and Jargo valleys while walking tracks to promote ecotourism in Swat.
To maintain natural beauty and avoid pollution at tourist spots in Swat, he said camping pods would be established at new tourists’ destinations besides Kalash cultural events in Chitral. To link new tourist destinations with Swat Motorway, he said that huge amounts were being spent on the development and construction of new roads.
Work on the World Bank’s assisted KP Integrated Tourism Project was underway in the province to promote tourism, he added.
The construction of 15 jeepable tracks was also proposed in Malakand and Hazara divisions while six tourist facilitation centres were established and work on seven others started.
The groundbreaking of the 23 km long Mankyal-Bada Sarai Road has been performed for rehabilitation.
The project also includes the construction of four bridges and two rest areas. He said that an Integrated Tourism Zone at Mankyal Swat would be established where modern facilities would be provided to tourists under the KITE project.
He said a mega project for feasibility studies for identification of new tourist spots was planned. To promote ecotourism in southern districts of KP.
A road to Sheikh Badin tourist resort located at the confluence of DI Khan and Lakki Marwat districts would be constructed while a tourist wing for merged areas was established to monitor and oversee tourism-related activities there.
Tourism police were made operational at the Malakand and Hazara divisions to facilitate tourists. He said Tourism police were deployed in key places of Swat to facilitate tourists and snowfall lovers during the winter season.