Tourists throng Lake Saiful Muluk

MANSEHRA: The tourists on Saturday thronged the frozen Lake Saiful Muluk after the reopening of the Lake Road.

“This place is very fascinating,” Sahrish Irfan, a tourist from Karachi said.

The tourists, who have been staying in Naran since the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road was reopened in April, found a great opportunity to witness heavy snow at the Lake Road and at mountains surrounding the romantic place.

The hoteliers association in Kaghan valley bore the expenses incurred on the reopening of Lake Road that was closed to traffic after a heavy snowfall in the valley in early January this year.

Tourists, mostly youngsters, men and women, reached the lake and took selfies.

“Though this is a dangerous jeep track which leads from Naran to Lake Saiful Muluk yet when I threw a glance at the frozen lake I was astonished and started enjoying the moments with my family,” said Ayesha, a tourist from Faisalabad. She said that her entire family had been present in the valley for the last one week but when glaciers at Lake Road were cleared to traffic they rushed over here to watch the unbelievable scene.

Matiullah, the president of hoteliers association in Kaghan valley, told reporters that the Lake Road was reopened to traffic with the financial assistance of his association.

He said that work on reopening of Naran-Babusar section of Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road was in progress and within a week time it would also be reopened to traffic.

Mohammad Tariq, Station House Officer of Kaghan Police Station, told reporters that five policemen were deployed to provide security to tourists coming from across country after reopening of the road.

He said a tourist facilitation centre would soon be established at the lake Saiful Muluk.

Sibghatullh, a jeep driver, told reporters that a large number of people thronged Lake Saiful Muluk after the reopening of the Lake Road, which increased their earnings.

“The track from Naran to Lake Saiful Muluk is dangerous one and government should earmark funds for its carpeting, which would boost the tourism in the valley,” he said.