Tourists asked to be cautious amid snowfall

All the tourists visiting the hilly areas to enjoy snowfall have been advised by the concerned authorities to take extra precautionary measures to avoid any untoward situation.

Every year, a large number of local and international tourists visit the hilly areas of the country to enjoy the picturesque beauty of these areas such as lush green valleys, beautiful mountains, snow-covered peaks, meadows, lakes, and waterfalls. Similarly, this year, a huge number of tourists are also rushing towards various hilly spots to enjoy snowfall and scenic beauty and to feel refreshed.

One of the tourists, Samia khan who is a mother of two children said that “Last year’s snowfall incident of death in Murree during snowfall still haunts me and my family therefore, this year we decided not to visit Murree”. She said that her children have been constantly insisting to visit any snowfall point due to which she was compelled to plan a visit to any other areas such as Kashmir or Swat.

A student, Ali Raza who has been planning a trip to northern areas along with his university fellows said that “Snowfall season has always captivated and fascinated me a lot and I am thrilled to reach the tourist spot even though I know that the entire whole northern region is currently under intense cold conditions”. He said that Pakistan is a beautiful country with a number of tourist attractions but the beauty of the north is exceptional. During the snowy weather majestic view of layers of white snow all around is the scene which cannot be described in words, he added.

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A tourist operator, Sadiq Javid said that the snow season is a time of good business for all people attached to the tourism industry including hotels, tour operators, car rental services providers, and local businessmen. He also urged the tourists to ensure safety measures before packing their bags to travel as the authorities have issued a detailed guideline for tourists as extremely low temperatures were being recorded in the Northern Areas of the country.

Earlier, the concerned authorities including Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Pakistan Tourism Development Cooperation (PTDC) issued a guideline for the tourists of northern areas to take timely precautions to ensure personal and collective safety in extreme weather conditions.

The guideline issued by the concerned underlined that cold-wave-like conditions and extremely low temperatures were being experienced in the northern part of the country which could further accentuate in the coming days. Therefore, all the incoming visitors are advised to dress in layers, and wear a warm hat or cap, scarf, and gloves or mittens to protect body heat from wind chill or extreme cold.

Moreover, travellers are advised to check for weather update and travel advisories issued for their area and take appropriate precautionary measures. It is also advised to avoid travelling in low visibility conditions and during icy road conditions. Before travelling, ensure your vehicle is properly serviced, including heater, brakes, and radiator, and replace worn-out tyres,” the advisory said.

The guideline exhorted to keep essential supplies in vehicles when travelling for use in emergency situations including additional warm clothing, warm blankets, first aid kit, waterproof matches or lighter, windshield ice-scraper, booster cables, basic toolkit, bag of sand or cat litter (to provide traction on ice or snow), wheel chains, spare wheel or repair kit, dry food or fruits, and drinking water.

The guidelines noted that in case a vehicle was stranded or was forced to pull over due to weather conditions, the following measures should be considered including contacting National Highway and Motorway Police Helpline at 130 if travelling on a National Highway or Motorway for assistance.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd, 2023.