Three-day Swat Snow Festival concludes

MINGORA: The three-day Swat Snow Festival concluded in the scenic Malam Jabba in Swat valley on Sunday. Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) and the district administration Swat had jointly organised the festival.

A large number of tourists visited Malam Jabba to enjoy the festival while skiers from across the country participated in the skiing competitions. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Sports & Tourism Mehmood Khan was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony.

Secretary Sports & Tourism Muhammad Tariq, General Manager (Admin) Sajjad Hameed, Director Culture Ajmal Khan, District Nazim Muhammad Ali Shah, Swat Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Kashif and others also attended the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Sports and Tourism Mehmood Khan said it was a moment of happiness that skiers and tourists from across the country in large number had come to Malam Jabba to participate and enjoy the Swat Snow Festival.

"The festival is of vital importance as it would present a soft image of the country and especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the international community," the minister said, adding that peace had been restored and tourism and sports activities were going on in every nook and corner of the province.

He said the people and the security forces had rendered huge sacrifices for the restoration of peace in the province. The minister said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government had taken various steps for the promotion of tourism and sports activities in the province.

The minister said scenic places in Swat valley would be developed on the pattern of Galiyat region to lure more domestic and foreign tourists to the Switzerland of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The minister later gave away prizes and medals to the winning teams.

Local skiing teams, including DPO Swat, Seams Sons and DC Swat teams clinched first, second and third positions, respectively. The Swat Snow Festival in Malam Jabba was aimed at promoting and reviving tourism and attracting tourists to the serene valley.

Besides skiing, paragliding and tobogganing competitions were also held while playland, music show, food and handicrafts stalls were the other features of the festival. Stalls of local cuisines, handcrafts, traditional dresses showcasing culture of the province attracted the visitors.

The visitors, including men, women and families enjoyed the local foods and evinced keen interest in the traditional dresses. The TCKP has arranged several events, including paragliding, rafting, safari train tours for domestic and foreign tourists.