MANSEHRA: The district administration on Tuesday notified a ban on the entry of tourists and motorists into Naran and areas beyond it until summer next year.
“We had already closed travel between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan last month, and now the movement of visitors and even locals to Naran town and beyond to Battakundi is also barred,” Assistant Commissioner, Balakot, Hasrat Khan told reporters.
A notification issued by the deputy commissioner of Mansehra stated that no one would be allowed to proceed to Naran or further towards Babusar Top from Kaghan town following a fresh spell of snowfall in the upper parts of the valley.
It added that those who earlier travelled to Chilas (GB) through the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road should now use the Karakoram Highway until the MNJ road reopens in summer, most likely in early May next year.
“We have also barred travel to Saiful Muluk Lake from Naran, which now stands restricted for tourists and locals alike,” Khan maintained.The official said the administration imposed the ban after the second snowfall of the season turned the MNJ road slippery and almost impassable for vehicular traffic.
“Earlier, we had allowed travel from Naran to Battakundi and Saiful Muluk Lake from 11 am to 3 pm, but that permission has now been withdrawn under the fresh notification,” he added.He said that indigenous communities living in Naran, Battakundi, Barawai and other upper parts of Kaghan valley had already migrated to lower areas of Mansehra district and other parts of Hazara division last month.“All police posts along the MNJ road in Naran and beyond have been wrapped up, and not a single hotel or eatery is offering services to visitors now,” he added.
