NATHIAGALI
Enjoying the national songs of ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ with his family during hiking at picturesque Galayat valleys ahead of Pakistan’s diamond jubilee celebrations, the family of Qaisar Khan (62), a retired employee of Wapda, was over the moon following visiting their favorite tourists’ resort amid blossom of monsoon seasonal flowers.
Walking on 11.44 miles long colonial era Miranjani-Nathiagali hiking trail amid hide and seeks between sun and clouds over the lofty mountains of Nathiagali, Qaisar’s sons Zeeshan and Ehtisham, residents of Wapda Town Nowshera with headphones in ears, were seen enjoying dancing steps with national songs of Dil Dil Pakistan, Hai Jazba Janoon and Sohni Dharti’ showing their love and patriotism for their beloved country.
“Nathiagali is my favorite tourists resort and this year, we decided to celebrate the diamond jubilee celebrations with great pump and show here,” Ehtisham Khan, who was teaching at a private college at Peshawar told APP.
Tasting bites of Peshawar’s famous Chappli Kabab and Shawarma with bottle of water, Qaisar sons’ dressed in track suits, were singing national songs during tracking to demonstrate love and warmth for their home country created after a lot of sacrifices by the Muslims of South Asia under the dynamic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on August 14, 1947.
“Pakistan is blessed with all natural resources including eight highest lofty mountains peaks of the world, birds chanting valleys, deserts, beaches and its proper showcase especially through digital media can help attract huge foreign exchange here,” Professor Ehtisham said.
Like Qaiser’s family, over 10 million tourists visited tourists’ destinations of Khyber Pakthunkhwa during August 6-9 ahead of 75 years of diamond jubilee celebrations of Pakistan.
Galiyat valleys including Nathiagali, Ayubia, Thandyani, Dongagali, Harnoi, Bagnotar and Kanspoor in Hazara and Kalam, Malam Jabba, Bahrain, Mahudhand, Margozar and Kalam in Swat attracted influx of tourists during last four holidays in KP.
According to officials in the tourism department KP, over 5,50,000 tourists visited Malakand division including about three lakh to Swat.
Similarly, 300,000 tourists were attracted by Galayat including 150,000 tourists by Kaghan, Naran, Saiful Malook and Anso lakes.
Likewise, around 115,000 tourists and adventure sports enthusiasts visited Dir Upper, one lakh to Chitral Lower including 200 foreign tourists , 15,000 Dir Lower and 10,000 tourists to Shangla districts.
Saad Khan, spokesman of KP Tourism and Culture Authority said that special focus was being given on improvement of historical hiking trails in Galyat.
Construction of four colonial era tracks between Thandyani-Nathiagali having 8,200 feet height, Thandyani-Biringali track, Dagri Bangal-Meera Jan-Nathiagali track and Kaghan-Mahmnoor trak starting from Singkayari to Kund Bangla and onward to Shaheed Pani Nadai Bangla to Musa Ka Musllaha were in pipeline.
Besides other Govt departments, he said the tourism department has also planned events, functions, exhibitions, traditional games and sports to celebrate independence day in the most befitting manner.
The special theme of the diamond jubilee is “Everyone’s Pakistan.” The celebrations would continue throughout the current month where opportunities to be provided to all segment of the society including minorities, orphans, widows, transgender, special children, prominent figures including literati, scientists, sportsmen and sportswomen to share their views and contributions for development of Pakistan.
Tributes would also be paid to heroes of the Pakistan Movement and outstanding personalities, who brought laurels for the country.
Saad said tourists had also visited in large numbers waterfalls in these areas. “Internationally, waterfalls were a big source of attraction of tourists and a principal decision has been taken to develop waterfalls of Lamchar, Sajkot, Noori, Chajjan Haripur, Jarogo Swat, Lanchar Dir and Umbrella Abbottabad on modern lines.
To provide affordable accommodation to tourists, he said Jarogo Abshar, Sulatar Swat, Lashkargas Broghal and Surlaspur Shandur in Upper Chitral, Kumrat Dir Upper, Kalam, Lilowani and Alpuri Shangla, Samani top Hangu/Orakzai , Laram top and Bin Shahi in Lower Dir were selected for establishment of new camping pods.
Four Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZs) would be developed at Mankiyal Swat, Thandyani Abbottabad, Ganol Manshera and Madaklasht Lower Chitral.
These ITZs would be constructed with a loan grant of USD 70 million of the World Bank. Its feasibility studies and master planning was in final stages and practical work would launch soon after completion of all codel formalities.
ITZs Thandyani and Mankiyal would be connected with Swat and Hazara motorways through link roads that would open up entire Malakand and Hazara for tourists and make Pakistan a hub of international tourism.
As many as 44 memorandum of understanding worth USD 8 billion have been signed between international firms and different departments of KP government during Dubai Expo 2022.
New ski resorts would be established at Kaghan, Chitral and Swat besides four new hill stations including one each in Chitral and Abbottabad and two in Kaghan. He said a theme park would also be constructed at Hundi Swabi.
A 14-kilometers long world’s highest cable car service between Upper Dir and Chitral Lower would be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs32 billion.
KP Govt has decided to disseminate special programs and information through media, social media, short clips’ display, exhibitions and meetings highlighting sacrifices and services of law enforcement agencies, families of martyrs, Gandhara cultural heritage, visits to archaeological and heritage sites, traditional dresses and cultural exhibitions.
Besides traditional foods, sports events and photo exhibitions, functions related to declamation contests, theatre dramas and vintage cars show were planned in connection with independence day celebrations.
