Winter attraction: Snow draws hundreds to Pir Chinasi

Mismanagement fails to dissuade visitors from as far as Rawalpindi and Lahore from thronging the hill station

MUZAFFARABAD: With winter snowfall blanketing the mountains surrounding Muzaffarabad in a dense layer of white, hundreds of tourists rushed to viewpoints on Pir Chinasi and Sarran on Sunday.

The Sarran hill station is located just 27 kilometres east of Muzaffarabad – the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Located at a height of 7,500 feet above the sea level, it affords a breathtaking view of Muzaffarabad city and its surrounding valley at the base of the Himalayas.



Over the weekend, the Sarran Mountain and adjoining forests received around three to four feet of snow, giving the entire valley a magical look as if it was an image out of Disney’s Frozen.

Locals and people from areas as far as Islamabad and even Lahore journeyed to the picturesque peak to enjoy some winter delights.

However, owing to the heavy snowfall and absence of heavy machinery to clear the snow, the road from Niazpura (the last town before the hill station) to Sarran was impassable for vehicles.



Tourists had to walk for around 10 kilometres to the hill station in freezing temperatures, carrying their luggage and other items, to enjoy the snow-covered peaks.

During the long walk, many took to throw snowballs at each other. Others sang songs.

But the arduous journey was worth it according to some tourists.

“After a long time, when you are with your friends in an area where mountains and dense forests are covered with snow, you can enjoy,” said Arif Bahar who was visiting the hill station with his friends on Sunday.

Another tourist, Khizer Hayat Abbasi, said that walking in the snow and then enjoying kabab made over a live barbeque with other friends was quite fun.



A lot of families also made their way to Sarran from Niazpura on Sunday.

“I am from Lahore and had heard about the natural beauty of AJK from my parents since a very young age,” said Rubeena Haq a medical student who was visiting the hill station.

“Now, when I reached Sarran, the snow-covered scenes of the valley were really breathtaking. The sights are unbelievable and the weather is awesome,” she said.

Many tourists were seen taking selfies while a number of youngsters sat in a circle around a fire singing songs.

However, the visitors appealed to the Works and Communication Department of AJK government to deploy snow clearing machines on the Pir Chinasi road to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.



“AJK Prime Minister Farooq Haider Khan, who has been beating the drums of good governance, should visit the Pir Chinasi road,” said Raja Tahir, a visibly irritated tourist who was visiting the hill station along with his family from Rawalpindi on Sunday.  “Millions of rupees are being spent to purchase machines for clearing landslides, but there is no machine to clear the Pir Chinasi road of snow so that it may remain open for tourists during the winter.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2017.