PESHAWAR: Besides being the home to Ghandhara civilization, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s northern districts are most suitable for winter snow sports due to their unique snowfall feature, skiing, and adventure which have been attracting thousands of tourists of different cultures every year amid great fun and excitement.
The snow sports extravaganza become a great source of attraction for domestic and foreign tourists being held regularly at Abbottabad, Mansehra, Swat, Dir, and Chitral in January-February every year, making a positive impact on the economy of rural areas and enhancing the country’s image of being tourists friendly destination in the world.
The first major snow sports event was recently held at Parwak village in Upper Chitral where thrilling ‘ice hockey’ matches were played among different teams amid great fun and laughter.
The players of the Fox and Snow Leopard teams received warm applause from the spectators, skiers, skaters, snowboarders, and adventure enthusiasts.
Kaghalasht snow festival has also attracted a large number of tourists at Upper Dir where thousands of skiers, skaters, snowboarders, hikers, adventurers, mountaineers, athletes, musicians and foodies entertained visitors amid great funfair and cultural events.
Free mountain bike, bicycle race, archery and rock climbing have added colours to the Upper Chitral festival.
KP’s snow-clad mountainous valleys including Kalam, Madain, Gabin Jabba, Malam Jabba, and Mahudhand in Swat; Nathiagali, Ayubia, Khanuspoor in Abbottabad; Naran and Kaghan in Mansehra; Kumrat in Upper Dir; and Chitral Lower have drawn an influx of tourists, hikers, and skiing lovers to enjoy different snow games including skiing, skating, throwball, snow kabaddi, tug of war, archery, karate, mountain biking, cycle race, snow rugby, besides trout fish and ancient heritage of Ghandhara civilization.
KP is home to over 1,130 mountains peaks including the mighty Tirich Mir (7,708m) — the tallest mountain peak in Hindukash range and the world’s highest outside Himalaya and Karakorum ranges — Boni Zom peak (6,542m) in Chitral, and Falak Sair (5,957m) at Ushu Valley in Swat.
Shandor, Broghal, Kalam, and Gabin Jabba festivals are planned by the Provincial Government to explore northern KP’s winter sports and tourism potential, said Engr Malik Luqman, Senior Planning Officer, Sports and Tourism Department while talking to APP.
He said throw ball, tug of war, and rocks and mountains climbing amid trout fish would add colours to these snowfall festivals.
Malik Luqman said a mega project costing Rs 238 million was prepared for organizing different winter sports and tourism events in various districts, including Swat, this year.
Kalam’s winter gala and tour-de-cycle race would be organized in Swat while the first-ever sports rafting at River Swat would be held besides an international paragliding event at Saidu Sharif.
He said a youth leadership conference and skiing event at Malam Jabba were also planned.
Swat is going to become the tourism capital of Pakistan due to its seven unique features: the centuries-old civilization of Ghandhara, snow-clad mountain peaks of Falak Sair, Mankiyal and Elum, trout fish amid snowfalls, river Swat, 50 lakes, forest, and Swat Motorway.
These distinctive characteristics, which are second to none in any other district of the country, draw adventure sportsmen, archaeologists, water rafters, mountaineers, snowfall lovers, foodies, and eco-tourists throughout the year.
The 150-kilometer-long freshwater of the river Swat originating from different glaciers and lakes including Mahodand and Gabrial 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 a large number of tourists during winter.
River Swat is 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.
“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,” he said.
He said Mahudand and Gabrial lakes carried unique charm and clean air besides nearby birds chanting valleys take tourists into a lap of serenity.
The green trout of Swat attracts foodies amid snowfall at Kalam, Madain, and other areas of the district on weekends.
Besides its famous Deodar trees and precious wildlife, 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 over other tourists destination of the country.
Attracting Buddhists, monks, and archaeologists from across the world throughout the year, he said the Swat’s archaeological treasures and ancient artifacts housed at Saidu Sharif Museum become a distinctive feature taking tourists to the glorious history of Swat.
The most celebrated monk from Thailand, Arayawangso, along with 20 disciples, has recently visited different Buddhist sites of Swat including Saidu Sharif Museum and Stupa besides Buthkara Buddhist monastery which impressed him a lot.
He 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.
To reduce tourists’ load at Kalam, Malam Jabba, and Bahrain, he said new tourist spots would be developed at Sola Tanar, Puchar, and Jargo valleys while walking tracks would be developed to promote eco-tourism in Swat.
To maintain the natural beauty and avoid pollution at tourist spots in Swat, camping pods would be established at new tourists destinations besides Kalash cultural events in Chitral. To link the new tourist destination with Swat Motorway, Rs 4.8 billion were being spent on the development and construction of new roads.
Four integrated tourism zones (ITZs) would be established in Mankiyal Swat on 754 kanal land, in Thandiani Abbottabad on 640 kanal, in Ganol Manshera on 480 kanal, and in Madaklasht Lower Chitral on 540 kanal with the assistance of World Bank under Khyber Pakthunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development Project (KITE) that, on completion, would make the province an international centre for domestic and international tourists.
ITZ Mankyal would be established where modern facilities would be provided to tourists under the KITE project.
A sports theme park would be constructed on 400 kanal land at Hund in Swabi district for which MoU has already been signed.
In Nathiagali Abbottabad, a three-day snow festival would be arranged by Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) where thousands of snow sportsmen and tourists would participate during winter.
Tourists would enjoy the mesmerising natural beauty of Ayubia, Donga Gali, Khanaspur, and Mushkpuri snow-clad top and took a free chairlift ride at Ayubia.
Mountaineering, hiking, sculpture paintings, tug of war, paintball competitions, archery, snow-tubing, music, bike race, snowball, skiing, skating, and snow football matches besides food stalls and cultural events would add colour to Nathiagali and Ayubia snow sports festivals.
He said the tourism budget was swelled to Rs 8.6 billion during 2022-23 while work on the World Bank’s assisted KP Integrated Tourism Project costing Rs17 billion was underway in the province.
The construction of 15 jeepable tracks was also proposed in Malakand and Hazara divisions while six tourist facilitation centers were established and work on seven others started.
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