ISLAMABAD National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB) Chairman Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari has expressed regret at the closure of Malam Jabba ski resort during the peak tourism season.
In a tweet, he said it would disrupt plans of many tourists, who had planned to visit the one of best travel destination of the country just before the holy month of Ramazan.
“Unfortunate to see one of our best resorts close down at the peak of tourism season. This upsets many people’s plans just days away from Ramazan. The last thing Pakistan’s booming tourism industry needs right now is disruptiveness,” Zulfikar Bukhari.
The Malam Jabba Ski Resort released a statement saying that it took difficult decision to close the resort as “it is no longer possible to run the resort profitably”.
The management also urged the tourist to abstain from visiting the ski resort, which was almost 9,000 feet above the sea level, as chairlift, zipline and all other activities were closed there. According to the company spokesperson, the interim order of court barred the management from collecting the entry fee at the resort.
Unfortunate to see one of our best resorts close down at the peak of tourism season.
This upsets many people’s plans just days away from #Ramzan.. the last thing Pakistan’s booming tourism industry needs right now is disruptiveness. pic.twitter.com/dC6QIGYgF5— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) April 3, 2021
Peshawar High Court Mingora Bench and issued an interim order barring the ski resort from collecting entry fees. The management charged tourists Rs300 for entry to the resort. “
The amount earned from all the activities and entry is used to maintain the resort and pay salaries of 500 employees,” they said. “The resort management has given a lot to the locals, and provided employment opportunities.”
On March 16, a petition was filed in the PHC Mingora Bench against the excessive charges by the management.
They said the fee was not just for the resort but for the hills nearby and public spaces could only be accessed via the resort. The court had issued a notice on April 1 and halted the resort from collecting fees till April 21.
