Tourists’ entry in Kaghan valley banned

MANSEHRA: The district administration Thursday banned the entry of tourists into Kaghan valley to avoid any mishap in heavy snowfall.
“We have banned the entry of tourists into Kaghan valley because of heavy snowfall,” Deputy Commissioner Aamir Khattak told reporters here.He said that tourists, who attempted to visit the valley, would be restricted at Jarad police checkpoint.
He said that district police officer, Najeebur Rehman, had asked the district administration to impose ban on the entry of tourists as hundreds of tourists were stranded in the valley after heavy snowfall and landslide last week.
The official said that Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad was opened to all sort of traffic but heavy snowfall and landslide could block it anytime.He said that hoteliers in the valley were already directed not to provide staying services or rent out rooms to tourists.
“The tourism season in the valley is usually ends before the start of snowfall and the same is the case this time as tourism season has finished,” he added.“Locals of Bassal, Gatidass and Battakundi had left the area and settled in lower parts of Kaghan valley and those still there have sufficient means to cope with any sort of situation,” he said.Four policemen deployed at Bassal police checkpoint had died due to bad weather last week when they left their base camp following start of heaviest snowfall in upper parts of the valley.