MANSEHRA: Kaghan valley witnessed a record influx of tourists during the first three days of the four-day public holidays, with hotels operating at full capacity and traffic on the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad (MNJ) Road remaining heavily congested throughout the period.
“We have received a record number of visitors during the public holidays. Around 300,000 tourists, including foreign visitors, travelled to tourist destinations across the province to escape the scorching heatwave in the country’s lower regions, and nearly half of them chose Kaghan valley,” Assistant Commissioner, Balakot, Hasrat Khan told reporters.
The picturesque valley welcomed an unprecedented number of visitors between June 25 and June 27, when Punjab, Sindh and the plains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa experienced an intense heatwave.
“We came here from Karachi to escape the heatwave and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of this valley. The snow-capped mountains and glaciers have made our trip a truly memorable experience,” said a female tourist.
She said that her family planned to travel to Naran and then continued to neighbouring Gilgit-Baltistan via the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road to enjoy the scenic journey.
The popular tourist attractions of Lake Saiful Muluk and Babusar Top also witnessed a record number of visitors during the three-day holiday period.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police and Tourism Police deployed personnel along the banks of the Kunhar River to prevent tourists from venturing too close to the water.
“We have deployed our personnel along the riverside to stop tourists from approaching the river, as many are unaware of the dangers posed by its fast-flowing water,” Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Jehanzeb Khan said.
He said he oversaw the traffic during the holidays at Lake Road in Naran, saying that although a record number of vehicles entered Kaghan valley through Balakot, traffic wardens deployed at key locations effectively managed the flow of traffic.
“We have deployed traffic wardens along the MNJ Road to ensure smooth traffic management within Kaghan Valley and on the route connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Gilgit-Baltistan,” the official said.
