The Government of Punjab has imposed emergency in Murree after at least 16 people died of the extreme cold, while in their cars, during the snowstorm.
However, as per some reports most people did not die of cold, but because of the fumes from their car heater.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has directed officials to open the government’s offices and rest houses for the stranded tourists amid chaos and an emergency situation in Murree.
Army and Rangers have also been called in Murree for rescue operations.
•مری اور ملحقہ علاقوں میں تمام ریسٹ ہاؤسز اور سرکاری اداروں کو سیاحوں کیلئے کھول دیا گیا ہے •وزیر اعلی پنجاب سردار عثمان بزدار نے اپنا ہیلی کاپٹر بھی ریسکیو سرگرمیوں کے لئے دے دیا •موسم بہتر ہوتے ہی ہیلی کاپٹر امدادی سرگرمیوں میں حصہ لے گا
Moreover, the government has appealed to people to postpone their plan to visit Murree.
مری اور دیگر بالائ مقامات کیلئے ایک جم غفیر رواں دواں ہے لاکھوں گاڑیاں ان علاقوں کی طرف جارہی ہیں مقامی انتظامیہ کیلئے اتنی بڑی تعداد میں لوگوں کو سہولیات پہنچانا ناممکن بن گیا ہے، جو لوگ ابھی گھروں میں ہیں ان سے درخواست ہے بالائ علاقوں کی سیر کا پلان کچھ دنوں کیلئے موخٓر کر دیں
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that a rise in tourism indicates prosperity as it shows the income of the common man has increased.
Taking to Twitter, the minister said that more than 100,000 tourist vehicles have entered Murree this year, due to which fares of hotels and guest houses have soared.
“These statistics show that an increase in tourism in the country indicates prosperity as well as an increase in the income of the common man,” he said.
مری میں ایک لاکھ کے قریب گاڑیاں داخل ہو چکی ہیں ہوٹلوں اور اقامت گاہوں کے کرائے کئ گنا اوپر چلے گئے ہیں سیاحت میں یہ اضافہ عام آدمی کی خوشحالی اور آمدنی میں اضافے کو ظاہر کرتا ہے اس سال سو بڑی کمپنیوں نے 929 ارب روپے منافع کمایا تمام بڑے میڈیا گروپس 33سے چالیس فیصد منافع میں ہیں
Fawad added that in the current year, 100 big companies in the country have earned a profit of Rs929 billion, while all major media outlets have earned 33 per cent to 40 per cent in profits.
Recently, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan asked his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokespersons to inform the masses that there is no inflation in the country, as he expressed satisfaction over the economic team’s performance.
Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin had also assured that inflation has come down in December as compared to November and next month inflation will come down further as global commodity prices are declining.
As part of solid waste management (SWM) initiatives under TREK (Travel Responsibly for Experiencing Ecotourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), a two-day training was conducted in Chitral by Nestlé Pakistan, in partnership with Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the World Bank.
TREK was unveiled in December 2020 by Prime Minister Imran Khan, as part of World Bank financed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) project. TREK was also listed as one of federal government’s key achievements of 2020.
In June 2021, TREK communication campaign was launched in Nathiagali to promote responsible tourism in the Galiyat region. On the launch, 2,000 reusable bags were handed out to Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) for local tourists and hotel association. Radio and social media campaigns have been launched; furthermore, signboards emphasizing the importance of clean Galiyat were also installed across the region.
A two-day training titled “TREK for Healthier Kids” was held in collaboration with the Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK) program in August 2021. It concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony for teachers, distribution of 4,000 reusable bags and 2,300 N4HK books to children in Galiyat. N4HK is one of Nestlé’s global Creating Shared Value initiatives that empowers parents, caregivers and educators to foster healthier eating, drinking and lifestyle habits among school age children.
An extensive two-day training on waste management and sustainable tourism in Swat as part of TREK’s community engagement initiatives. The training comprised of sessions on categorizing waste, importance of recycling, learning to conduct waste audits, basic food safety and importance of WASH compliance among others. The event concluded with souvenir distribution for participants by Ghulam Saeed, Director General Directorate of Tourist Services and Touseef Khalid, Project Director KITE. We have also donated 2,000 reusable bags among communities in Swat.
Under the TREK initiative, more than 130 public and private sector participants including 20 women have been trained at the three locations of Swat, Galyat and Chitral. The initiative has also engaged the local communities through training and awareness session on nutrition and hygiene for school children of Galyat.
“We are delighted that community engagement activities such as waste management training and awareness campaigns for tourists are coming to fruition, as part of TREK,” said Tashfeen Haider, Additional Secretary, Tourism Department, KP government, adding that Department of Tourism through KITE project is working on SWM cycle by providing equipment to area development authorities of Galyat, Kaghan, Chitral, Kalam and Kumrat. Moreover, contract for feasibility study and engineering design of sanitary landfill sites have been awarded through the KITE project.
Kiran Afzal, Senior Private Sector Specialist, of the World Bank shared, “KITE project is now implementing activities for tourist facilitation in Chitral which will be complemented by TREK’s initiatives for SWM.”
Talking about the initiative, Waqar Ahmad, Head of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability, Nestlé in Pakistan & Afghanistan said, “Our partnership with the government on TREK, will help realise our vision for shaping a waste-free future, by driving new behaviour for a cleaner environment.”
“At Nestlé, our vision is that none of our packaging, including plastics, ends up in landfill or rivers. To achieve this, we have set ourselves the commitment of ensuring 100% of our packaging is reusable or recyclable by 2025,” he added.
The two-day SWM training comprised of sessions on categorizing waste, importance of recycling, learning to conduct waste audits, basic food safety and importance of WASH compliance among others. The event concluded with souvenir distribution for participants by Ghulam Saeed, Director General Directorate of Tourist Services, Hassan Abid, Deputy Commissioner Chitral, and Touseef Khalid Project Director KITE.
Nestlé Pakistan’s commitment to TREK includes 2 pillars: A massive awareness
campaign focusing on Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and a Community Engagement plan which includes activities that will help in countering the issues of waste, pollution and destruction of wildlife, in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 12, 13, 15 and 17.
Tourists arrived in multitude to the Kaghan Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in record numbers this Eid-ul-Azha, with hundreds of thousands of vehicles blocking the roads and causing huge traffic jams at the tourist site, reports Dawn.
Tourists heading to the Kaghan Valley faced a fuel shortage and long queues of vehicles could be seen at every filling station in the area.
“Around 0.7 million vehicles carrying tourists have entered the valley so far and more motorists are on the way to this picturesque destination,” District Police Officer (DPO) Asif Bahadur said, reports Geo News.
A video of the blocked route started making rounds on social media.
Tourists already stuck in the jam urged people not to visit and declared a ‘traffic emergency’ in the region.
If you’re thinking of going to the Northern areas, please DON’T. There is a traffic emergency- it took us 12 hours to travel from Naraan to Kaghan. People parking theirs cars and sleeping in them.
Nestlé in collaboration with KP Tourism Dept, World Bank and GDA launched the TREK communication campaign in Nathiagali to promote responsible tourism. It includes radio & geo-targeted social media awareness campaigns for tourists, installation of information boards.
Earlier in December 2020, Prime Minister Imran Khan had unveiled the logo for TREK, which is part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) project and has been listed amongst the federal government’s key achievements of 2020.
The launch event featured tree plantation, an awareness walk and the unveiling of awareness signages installed in various parts of the Galiyat district.
Highlighting Nestlé’s vision for a waste-free future, Samer Chedid, CEO Nestlé Pakistan said, “At Nestlé, our vision is that none of our packaging, including plastics, ends up in landfill or rivers. To achieve this, we have set ourselves the commitment of ensuring 100% of our packaging is reusable or recyclable by 2025.”
“We are excited for this partnership on responsible tourism: we will be shaping a waste-free future by driving new behavior that contributes towards a cleaner environment.”
Meanwhile, Raza Ali Habib Director General, Galiyat Development Authority said, “GDA in collaboration with Nestle, KITE World Bank and Tourism Department is making all out efforts to promote responsible and sustainable tourism in Galiyat under the TREK initiative.”
“This includes massive fruit tree plantation drive, anti-littering campaign, distribution of reusable cotton bags and a nationwide awareness campaign,” he added.
Tauseef Khalid, Project Director, KITE said, “TREK is an initiative under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) project being implemented in partnership with the World Bank Group and Nestlé Pakistan.”
Tauseef highlighted that under TREK, the government was arranging provision of solid waste management equipment to keep the area waste-free as well as installing information boards.
“We are training local communities on waste minimization and collection, and facilitating tourist sites by providing restrooms under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development program,” he said.
Kiran Afzal, Senior Private Sector Specialist, of the World Bank Group conveyed that the occasion marks an important phase of TREK’s implementation, and “we expect to see more contributions from the private sector towards responsible tourism.”
Nestlé Pakistan’s commitment to TREK includes 2 pillars: A Massive Awareness Campaign focusing on Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and a Community Engagement plan which includes activities that will help in countering the issues of waste, pollution and destruction of wildlife.
Participants at the event highlighted the government’s role in promoting tourism, planning better infrastructure for improving accessibility, rescue services and special zones for tourists in the region.
The National Command and Operations Centre on Wednesday allowed the reopening of schools in districts with less than five per cent coronavirus positivity ratio.
The meeting reviewed the ongoing situation of coronavirus in the country.
From May 24, outdoor restaurants will be opened daily till 11:59 pm, and takeaway will be allowed 24/7.
The tourism sector will be allowed to operate under strict coronavirus protocols.
Outdoor marriage ceremonies with a limit of 150 individuals will be permitted.
Opening of educational institutions from June 7 (other than those opened from May 24).
Meanwhile cinemas, indoor dining, indoor gyms, amusement parks, shrines, all kinds of festivals, cultural and other events shall remain banned till further notice.
June 1 onwards, several sectors will be allowed to open after a review meeting on May 27.
In addition to this, the NCOC decided all SSC and HSSC exams will be held after June 20, while conducting professional and non-professional exams would take place on a case-to-case basis on recommendations from the Ministry of Education.
The forum decided that wearing masks would remain compulsory.
The NCOC had earlier imposed a lockdown in the country during the Eid holidays in order to stop the spread of the virus amid the deadly third wave.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has shared satellite images of the Hingol National Park, located 120 miles from Karachi. The image was acquired in February this year.
Nasa Earth observatory describes Hingol Park with its “rocky terrain, mountain caves, and beautiful beaches” as “one of the natural wonders of Pakistan”.
Hingol spans around 6,200 square kilometres (2,400 square miles) across three districts of the Balochistan Province: Lasbela, Awaran, and Gwadar,.
The park is named after the Hingol River, which flows through this dry region year-round and is the longest in Balochistan. Before emptying into the Arabian Sea, the Hingol flows into an estuary that supports threatened fish, birds, and crocodiles. It is part of the largest national park for the protection of endangered species in the country. The park is also home to wild Sindh Ibex, Balochistan Urial, and Chinkara Gazelle.
Located approximately 200 kilometers (120 miles) northwest of Karachi, Hingol National Park features several distinct ecosystems. In the north, it includes an arid subtropical forest, while dry, mountainous terrain covers the western portion.
In the east, the park is renowned for a group of mud volcanoes that spew methane and mud instead of lava. Along the coast, Hingol includes caves, beaches, and a marine ecological zone that is home to dolphins, sea turtles, and mangroves. The water body in the image above is an ephemeral lake near Sapat Beach.
The park also holds a significance amount for Hindu community because of the Hinglaj Mata Mandar located there.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has announced Eid-ul-Fitr Holidays in Pakistan from May 10 to May 15. The announcement came after NCOC’s meeting on Thursday which was chaired by Minister for Development and Planning Asad Umar.
During the meeting, NCOC also recommended restricting international flights to Pakistan from May 5 to May 20, according toSamaa News. However, the detailed instructions will be issued by The Civil Aviation Authority.
Comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs) will be issued for Youm-e-Ali, Aitekaf, Shab-e-Qadar, Juma-tul-Wida, and Eid prayers by May 1, said the press release.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) had earlier advised the government to give Eid Holidays from May 10 to 16 as the country battles the most lethal wave of coronavirus.
To reduce mobility during the forthcoming Eid-ul-Fitar NCOC has announced a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” strategy from May 8 to May 16.
Here are the Comprehensive guidelines by the name of “STAY HOME-STAY SAFE — Eid-ul-Fitr-2021 from 8-16 May 2021” announced by NCOC:
All markets, businesses, and shops will remain closed except for essential services.
Chaand Raat bazaars will be banned.
Complete ban on tourism
Inter-provincial, inter-city, and intra-city public transport will be banned but private vehicles will be allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity.
Media channels will broadcast special Eid Holiday packages to keep public at home.
NCOC announces ‘Stay Home Stay Safe Strategy’ for mobility control from 8-16th May 21 including Eid ul Fitr holidays pic.twitter.com/6yqo4BnV9r
Pakistan is experiencing a third wave of coronavirus. As per NCOC, Pakistan has recorded 5,450 new cases and 151 deaths with a positivity rate of 9.61%. The 151 death toll is the highest Pakistan has seen since the pandemic began.
Pakistan has launched its first satellite TV channel ‘Discover Pakistan‘ to boost national tourism in the country.
Announcing the news of the channel on social media, the management of Discover Pakistan said that the TV channel aims to highlight Pakistan’s soft image with documentaries and coverage of tourism-related events and travelogues.
Discover Pakistan will broadcast its content in HD (high definition) to project the country’s natural wonders around the world.
The management has urged the citizens to ask their cable operators to initiate broadcasting the channel.
As per Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision, the Discover Pakistan TV channel had been in the pipeline since 2017.
Prime Minister Imran Khan on August 26 last year had formed a 12-member National Coordination Committee on tourism to facilitate and coordinate the government’s commitment to give tourism a priority in mainstream development.
The committee was made to oversee and review the implementation of national tourism strategy and integration of provincial and regional policies.
After playing tape-ball cricket with fans on the streets of Lahore, West Indian cricketer Daren Sammy was spotted soaking in the snow-capped peaks of Swat and Northern Pakistan.
Sharing a picture of himself in the mountains, the Peshawar Zalmi coach expressed his gratitude towards exploring Pakistan as a tourist.
“I was disappointed that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) got postponed but I’m super grateful I got to discover the beauty of Pakistan outside of cricket,” said Sammy.
Meanwhile, Kamran Akmal also shared a video of Sammy and himself enjoying his the first ever Zip Line experience on Twitter, he wrote: “First ever Zip line Experience #MalamJabba and it was just great…MaShaAllah Pakistan is so beautiful.”
“Thanks @PeshawarZalmi for arranging a family trip to MalamJabba it’s been a beautiful trip.Thanks to Local management for your hospitality Pakistan Flag of Pakistan Zindabad,” he added.
First ever Zip line Experience #MalamJabba and it was just great…MaShaAllah Pakistan is so beautiful Thanks @PeshawarZalmi for arranging a family trip to MalamJabba it’s been a beautiful trip.Thanks to Local management for your hospitality Pakistan Zindabad pic.twitter.com/sdWr8aan9k
PSL’s sixth edition — which started on February 20 — was postponed on March 4 due to rising COVID-19 cases among players and officials involved in the tournament.
While several foreign players departed for their respective countries after the tournament was suspended, Hashim Amla and Sammy had prolonged their stay in the country due to some professional commitments.
During their tour of Pakistan’s norther areas, Amla, Sammy, Kamran Akmal and other players from the Peshawar Zalmi were also spotted socialising with fans.
