Tourists start arriving in Kaghan as road reopens

MANSEHRA: Tourists began arriving in Kaghan Valley on Monday as the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad (MNJ) Road reopened to Naran after being closed for six months due to heavy snowfall.

“The snow, even in the lower parts of the valley, makes it more attractive and charming for visitors. That’s why we’re here to experience this unique view,” Mohammad Ali, a visitor, told reporters.

The MNJ Road was closed to all kinds of traffic in mid-November last year after the valley received its first snowfall of the season.The National Highway Authority (NHA) has yet to clear the road to Babusar Top.

The tourists have begun arriving to enjoy the snow-covered landscape.Mohammad Ali said he and his family were among the first to enter Naran following the road’s reopening.

“Would you believe the valley is still cold while a severe heat wave grips the rest of the country?” he said.He added that his family enjoyed a snowball fight to make the trip even more memorable.

According to the NHA officials working on clearing the route beyond Naran, the commercial hub of the valley, the traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan was expected to resume by mid-May.

They said that seven glaciers have already been cut through and snow removed to facilitate the reopening of the road and the revival of tourism in the valley.Meanwhile, the Police Department shifted the Kaghan police station to Naran in response to the influx of visitors.

A press release said that as the road reopens, more police posts would be activated to ensure the safety of tourists. It added that police posts at Basal, Plundrain, Soach, Lake Road, Battakundi, and Jalkhad would gradually be made functional in the coming days.