Tourists banned from visiting Lulusar Lake, Babusar Top

MANSEHRA: Hundreds of tourists were barred from visiting the popular picnic spots of Lulusar Lake, Babusar Top and Jalkhad as the police withdrew its contingents from two posts in the area. This was stated by police and tourists on Thursday.

According to owners of nearby hotels, the police asked tourists to remain in Naran and near Saiful Malook Lake. This was unlike previous holiday seasons during which tourists thronged to Kaghan Valley to take in the beauty of their favourite spots – Lulusar Lake and Babusar Top, among others.



“Winter is about to set in the hilly areas and we wanted to enjoy the serenity near Lulusar Lake and Babusar Top, but do not know why the police have banned visits,” Naveed Butt, a businessman from Faisalabad, said while talking to journalists.

A view of the Lulusar Lake. PHOTO: ISMAIL SHEIKH/EXPRESS

He wanted to go to the areas with his family, but his plans were shattered, leaving him with the only option of visiting Saiful Malook Lake, a place where he said he had been before and that too many times.

Locals said police also banned Gilgit-bound vehicles taking the route of Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road and traffic was diverted towards Kohistan.

When asked, Mansehra District Police Officer Ahsan Saifullah confirmed that tourists were banned from going beyond the picnic spot in Battakundi because the force was not there to keep a check on security after two posts were closed. Since the wooden bridge in Battakundi collapsed on September 10 due to a loaded truck, the headquarters was disconnected from the 40 to 45 police personnel deployed at the two posts, he said.



The DPO said to close down the posts and ban tourists from visiting Lulusar Lake and Babusar Top. He maintained the two police posts were not functioning following a bridge collapse and the lives of not only the personnel, but also tourists were at risk in case of an emergency.

However, he added since alternative arrangements had been made for light-weighted vehicles to cross the Battakundi Bridge, police personnel would resume their duties at the posts. This would allow traffic to pass from the route closed down a few days ago.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2016.