DND Report
The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is undoubtedly infamous for its poor governance, corruption, nepotism, and false promises to the public. Setting aside its administrative failures in almost every field of operational administration, this piece focuses only on tourism, which has been a major source of income for the locals of the province.
Within the province, the most neglected division had been the Hazara Division and its most pristine valleys, such as Kaghan-Naran, Siran Valley, and Konsh Valley. The reason for this indifferent behavior towards these lands was political, as these areas had been considered as strong vote banks of PMLN in the past. Whatever the small KPK government did in the field of tourism was in Swat, Kumrat, Upper and Lower Dir, where PTI politicians had lands to develop. The Kumrat project was a total failure due to its proximity to terror-filled pockets and its remoteness; therefore, tourism could not be attracted, particularly for domestic tourists who mostly move with their families.
The provincial government is also quite about the mushroom growth of religious schools along with the newly built CPEC Expressway from Mansehra to Thakot, where dozens of undocumented, unregistered religious schools are growing, leaving a fear of radicalization of this last resort of tourism in Hazara Division.
Balakot-Naran Road had been one of the finest travelling routes for family tourism, but this road had been inundated, spoiled, and ruined for the last five years. In the last three seasons, the Mahandari Bridge collapsed in the middle of the tourism season, and even this year, just before Eid, the bridge collapsed again. The foremost disaster for Naran this season was false news spreading about a cloud burst that took place almost 20 km down to Babusar Pass, but the majority of the media reported that the disaster took place at Babusar Pass, and this news discouraged travelers from moving to Kaghan-Naran Valley. The provincial government, which is responsible for tourism development, did not release any official statement rejecting the claim of the media, nor did any minister visit the area to get information about the ground realities.
According to people working in the field of travel and tourism in Hazara Division, the area has already lost over 70% of its annual business.
Hoteliers claim that false reporting about floods in Naran Town and lower areas (e.g., Mahandri) with Babusar Pass played havoc with the tourism business in Kaghan-Naran Valley, which is left without any compensation.
Hoteliers of Kaghan Valley have demanded that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif announce the status of the calamity region to Naran, where business could not recover due to a flash flood disaster that hit Babusar-Chilas Road after a cloud burst.
Talking to DND News Agency, several hotel owners in Naran said that PM Sharif is planning to visit Naran soon, and they (hotel owners) are seeking government assistance, potentially due to the impact of floods in the region. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) has acknowledged their efforts in providing hospitality during the floods, and hotels were open to facilitate families caught by natural disasters without asking any rent purely on humanitarian grounds. “What we could do, we did it. Now it is the responsibility of the government to look into the situation and announce the status of the calamity region to Naran because fake news spread by mainstream as well as social media about natural disasters during the month of June-July in Naran played havoc with the tourism business.
They said cloud bursts and flash floods took place almost 30 kilometres down to Babusar Pass, but the media was reporting that floods hit Babusar Pass.
“Tourism business in Kaghan-Naran is seasonal and hotels can be operated only between May and to second week of September, and the livelihood of thousands of persons is linked with this business, including hotel staff, guides, porters, transporters and jeep owners and this year the business was too low, so they all are facing extreme financial difficulties. They need the help of the government, and PM Sharif can announce such help,” Ali Asghar, a manager of a local hotel, said while talking to DND News Agency.
It may be mentioned that hoteliers report a 70% drop in seasonal tourism revenue due to exaggerated media coverage of floods 30 km from Babusar Pass, deterring visitors despite partial road functionality. Seasonal operations (May–September) are the sole income source for thousands.
Immediate Demands from Hoteliers
Tax Relief: Seek a 5-year tax exemption to recover losses, as taxes are unaffordable after the delayed post-flood reopening.
Infrastructure Restoration: Urgent repairs to MNJ Road, damaged from Kaghan to Battakundi, to ensure tourist access.
Financial Aid: Direct subsidies/loans to cover operational losses and staff wages during the truncated season
