KUMRAT: bewitching nature beauty cultural richness and unrivaled hospitality of various tourist destinations in Pakistan has always contributed to attracting attention of local and exotic nature as well as generate a substantial income.
granted with countless blessings, plains and hilly regions of Pakistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and northern regions present great opportunities of entertainment for hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting these places every year.
The Kumrat Valley, located in Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also one of wonderful discoveries of in social media with all its sights of green pastures, snow-capped mountains, the Pankora River, misty mounds, and a serene beauty of forest.
” year 2016 was a turning point for in hidden beauty of The Kumrat Valley will be revealed through social media as well as soon became one of famous tourist destinations for visitors,” Sheringal Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Yar Khan said.
“Until 2016, there was not a single hotel in in valley for tourists to stay but later on small hotels were built in local forests people to facilitate visitors,” he said. added.
place so beautiful that, despite the 48-kilometer dilapidated track from Sheringal, the Council of the Union in Upper Dir tourist landing on it’s a journey to visit the heavenly place. Although this track was sometimes repaired back but damaged again due to frequent snowfalls.
“Despite bad road conditions, about 6,000 visitors arrived in the Kumrat Valley. on in first day of Eid-ul-Fitr, 8000 on in second and 10,000 plus on third day of Eid,” Muhammad Yar Khan said.
He said for assistance of With regard to visitors, the administration maintains strict law and order. “Not even one crime was reported during last one year of my publication so visitors can freely roam valley without any threat.”
Mohammed Yar, however, is mentioned in the shortcoming of good doctors, teachers and other professionals in in area like the most of in people after receiving good education move in cities or abroad for work goals.
Former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif visited place during his tenure and wanted to give it’s a status of National park. But the local people resisted this proposal, fearing that their land and forests would be confiscated government.
Pakistan People’s Party government founded Shahid Benazir Bhutto University in sheringal in 2016 and PTI government in CPC also concentrated on conservation and promotion of forests of tourism in areas.
Meanwhile, official of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, Zaman Khan said Deputy Inspector General of The police gave strict instructions to maintain law and order in in area.
“We follow instructions and try to follow area crime free,” he said, but mentioned language barriers and overcharging by hotels in response to complaints registered by visitors.
“Most of visitors complain of language barriers, surcharge for shops as well as car parking lots, as well as dilapidated roads,” he said. added.
Near one millions of tourists visit valley during peak four months of summer season with most of they come from Punjab and Sindh. This rising amount of more visitors of built on site two star hotels under 45 in addition to small huts.
The possibilities of hotels are sometimes not enough to accommodate visitors who come here from local people rip tourists off by charging them Rs 8,000 to Rs 15,000 per night.
“It’s annoying. We will go there for free time but the locals benefit to the fullest from our presence over there, charging a lot more than actual pricesaid visitor Adnan Chaudhry, originally from Faisalabad.
“If a nature gave them with his bounties, they should care for fellow visitors. Procinvial authorities should develop a pricing mechanism for tourists visiting this area,” he said.
He said: “We can understand that they only have seasonal income as there are fewer opportunities. of Earnings in the harsh winter. But the stakes should be convenient for both parties.
Over 70 percent area of in valley consists of forest, and 30 percent of barren land. people in in valley lack of proper source of income and majority of they go to other cities for work goals.
Major crops of this is area potatoes and apple pumpkin (tinda). Nonetheless weather is also favorable for cultivation of winter crops in summer season which are shipped in main cities.
Trees are falling in forest due to heavy rains or fast wind is another source of income for them like selling those trees in in market brings 60 percent share to the local people and 40% to government coffers.
Since this is a very low literacy rate areaAssistant Commissioner reported that his office wrote to the regional authorities for construction of universities for boys and girls.
Population in this is area includes 70 percent Kohistani and 30 percent Gujars and language usually speak Kohistani like this area links to the Indus Kohistan since the Silk Road down to Kohistan, Palace, Shangla and Kalam. But they all also know Pashto is good.
This area so beautiful that, in spite of any difficulties, tourists cannot fail to notice the enchanting beauty of Blue water Kumrat, Jahaz Banda, Badgoy Top, Gvaldai Dara and Sundarai Dara, and future beautiful lakes planned by the provincial government for tourists.
