Pakistan

Snowy Murree: Tourists arrive for a white winter

All restaurants are packed with tourists and the demand for woollen clothes has risen in the area.

January 18, 2011

ISLAMABAD: The recent snowfall in Murree and nearby hill stations has attracted a large number of domestic tourists from across the country. For residents of the twin cities, Muree’s close proximity makes it an especially attractive weekend getaway.

Resorts including Bhurban, New Murree, Kashmir Point, Pindi Point, Mall Road and Ayubia remain packed with tourists. Hundreds of people visit these locations daily and take-in the beautiful view at different sites while enjoying the chairlift at Pindi Point.

Galyaat, Hazara and Bhurban usually receive more snow than Murree, making them inviting alternatives.

These days all restaurants are packed with tourists and the demand for woollen outerwear has been rising with the mercury falling. Businessmen and shopkeepers from hill resorts were happy to see increased business activity. “I am enjoying the weather here,” said a visitor, Rauf Ahmed. “We are spending good family time and the children are especially happy.”

Adding that Murree has enjoyable entertainment facilities, he lauded the civic body for construction of numerous attractive picnic spots. He said the local administration should develop more recreational facilities to attract visitors, considering Murree has naturally beautiful locations like Pindi Point and Kashmir Point.

The influx of tourists created traffic jams at various points on the roads leading to the hill stations. According to the Met Office, the area should expect more snowfall in the coming days.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (1)

Sardar Khalid Mahmood | 13 years ago | Reply The scenic beauty and air freshness of Murree and Murree Hills is astonishing no doubt. But this is just the one side of the picture. The dark aspect is that Murree city is ill maintained; it's dirty and unhygienic. There exists scarcity of water and the hygiene level of hotels, resorts and restaurants is far from satisfactory. There are hardly any washrooms or toilets for the visitors. The roads leading to Murree are broken and parched. The roads are narrow - insufficient to accommodate the rush of traffic during season. There are less side protection on roads which makes the journey risky and hazardous. No one tried to improve the condition of Murree Hills which is the most abundantly visited hill station of Pakistan.

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