Known for its serenity and scenic beauty, the Bakot picnic spot has been conquered by makeshift eateries. Though that might be considered a boon for the investment-starved area, but it is not quite so in the scenario since tourists have complained that they are being fleeced by the eateries’ owners.
A visit to the picnic spot by The Express Tribune revealed that around 42 makeshift eateries operate along the river and sell edible items at exorbitant prices.
“They are minting money from us tourists as if we belong to some foreign country,” complained Aiman, a tourist from Islamabad. “A bottle of mineral water, which costs Rs40 in the Islamabad’s market, is being sold for Rs100 here,” she added.
Naveed Awan, a businessman who had come from Gujranwala, said that a single dish of chicken costs around Rs1,500 which “is barely enough to serve one family”. Moreover, he said that visitors are charged Rs100 per to park a car alongside the river and the organisers make no effort to provide security to the vehicles.
Some tourists alleged that local villagers are involved in forcing tourists to use the private parking and paying the high fee in connivance with the police.
However, the Bakot Station House Officer Razzaq Khan dispelled the idea of any such activity. Regarding overcharging by the eateries, he said that the food department and the district administration are responsible for keeping check on food prices and the police are ready to cooperate with the administration for this purpose.
A stall owner, Khurshid Abbasi, also rejected that eateries’ owners overcharge customers. “In the absence of a market in the locality, we have to pay high transportation costs, which ultimately translate into high food prices,” he reasoned.
According to Naveed Akram, a social activist and a writer from a neighbouring village, around 10,000 people visit the picnic spot on a daily basis during peak tourist season. He said that if the area is properly developed, it can provide a sizeable income to the government.
Situated at a distance of 20km from Nathiagali and 3km from Kohala Bridge, that connects Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the picnic spot entertains thousands of tourists from across the country in the summers. The site, also known as Kanair Kas, is famous for its picturesque scenery, with lush-green forests and streams flowing from Bakot, Beerot and Palak union councils which converge into Jhelum River.
However, due to the provincial government’s indifferent attitude, tourists who mostly come from Murree and adjoining areas to enjoy the serene environment are let down by the unregulated and makeshift eateries operating in the area.
The tourists have called for effective safety measures at the tourist haven.
Last week, a young visitor from Lahore drowned in the Jhelum River and his body could not be recovered. Similarly, an army officer from Lahore and his minor daughter also drowned while taking photographs near the river last year. Despite the loss of precious lives, the tourists said that the authorities seem to be ignorant towards their issues.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2012.
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