Phoenix rising: Racers vroom to Swat jeep rally

Drivers battle it out on 4x4s at Malam Jabba; locals herald return of tourists.

SWAT:

The Swat valley rose from the ashes once again on Sunday when a jeep rally was held in the snow-covered mountains of Malam Jabba.

Organised by the Frontier Four-wheel Club, the event marked a reversal in valley’s fortunes which had made headlines in June 2008 when local militants, who had taken over Swat, burnt down a scenic ski resort.

The two-kilometre-long track zips through the resort perched 9,200 feet above sea-level. More than 25 daring drivers brought their 4x4 jeeps along to the spectacle.

“The sole aim of the race is to tell the whole world about the serenity, beauty and peace in Swat valley,” said chairperson of the Frontier Four-Wheel Club Baber Khan.

“We want to remind the world that Swat is really the Switzerland of Asia. We want to attract tourists from everywhere,” he added. The audience comprised people from across the country.

The track posed its own challenges, though. Several drivers were hard at work, freeing their jeeps stuck in the snow.

The heavy snow creates more difficulties, but it has its own charm, said a driver. It is exhausting but exhilarating at the same time, he added.

The joy was also manifest amongst the locals of Malam Jabba.

“This is an encouraging event which has brought economic benefit and a lot of fun to the area,” said Mohammad Raziq, owner of a local hotel.

“Many tourists are coming to Malam Jabba this year from Lahore, Islamabad and elsewhere, and we are doing good business,” he said.

He added that the government should at least help clear the roads to make the resort more accessible for tourists.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2012.