Kumrat Valley – Exploring bounties of nature

 

KUMRAT, JUN 19: Bewitching natural beauty, cultural richness and unparalleled hospitality of the diverse tourist’s destinations in Pakistan have always contributed to captivate the attention of local and exotic nature as well as generate handsome revenues.

Bestowed with uncountable benediction, Pakistan’s plains and hilly areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Northern areas present ample opportunities of amusement to hundreds of thousands tourist thronging these places every year.

Kumrat Valley, situated in the Upper Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is also one of the beautiful discoveries of the social media with all its attractions of green pastures, snow clad mountains, the river Panjkora, foggy mounds and imperturbable beauty of the forest.

“The year 2016 proved as a turning point for the hidden beauty of Kumrat Valley to be revealed through social media and soon it became one of the famous tourist’s destinations for the visitors”, Assistant Commissioner, Sheringal, Muhammad Yar Khan said.

“Before 2016, there was not even a single hotel in the valley for the tourists to stay but later on small hotels were constructed in the forests by the local people to facilitate visitors,” he added.

The place is so beautiful that despite a 48 kilometer dilapidated track from Sheringal, Union Council in Upper Dir, tourist embark on this journey to visit the heavenly place. Although, this track was repaired sometimes back but damaged again due to frequent snowfall.

“Despite the poor road conditions, around 6,000 visitors entered Kumrat Valley on the first day of Eid-ul Fitr, 8,000 on the second and 10,000 plus on the third day of Eid,” Muhammad Yar Khan said.

He said for facilitation of the visitors the administration maintains strict law and order. “Not even a single crime was reported during last one year of my posting therefore visitors can freely roam around the valley without any threat.”

Muhammad Yar however mentioned to dearth of good doctors, educationists and other professionals in the area as most of the people after getting good education move to cities or abroad for job purposes.

Former Prime Minister, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif visited the place during his tenure and wanted to give it the status of a National Park. But, local people resisted this proposal fearing that their land and forests would be confiscated by the government.

Pakistan People’s Party government established Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University in Sheringal in 2016 and the PTI government in KPK also focused on forest conservation and promotion of tourism in the areas.

Meanwhile, an official of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, Zaman Khan said that Deputy Inspector General of Police has issued strict instruction to maintain law and order in the area.

“We follow instructions and try to keep the area crime free,” he said but mentioned to language barriers and overcharging by hotels when asked about complaints registered by the visitors.

“Most of the visitors complain of language barriers, extra charging by shops and car parking as well as dilapidated roads,” he added.

Around one million tourists visit the valley during the peak four months of summer season with most of them coming from Punjab and Sindh. This rising number of visitors has risen the number of locally constructed two star hotels to 45 in addition to small huts.

The hotels capacity sometimes fall short to accommodate the visitors that make local people to fleece the tourists charging them Rs 8,000 to Rs 15000 per night.

“This is irritating. We go there for leisure time but the local fully benefit from our presence over there by charging much more than the actual price,” said a visitor Adnan Chaudhry, hailing from Faisalabad.

“If the nature has bestowed them with its bounties, they should care for the fellow visitors. Procinvial authorities should devise a pricing mechanism for the tourists visiting this area,” he said.

He said, “we can understand that they have only seasonal income as there are lesser opportunities of earning during harsh winter. But, the rates should be convenient to both sides.”

More than 70 percent area of the valley comprises forest while 30 percent of barren land. The people in the valley lack proper source of income and most of them migrate to other cities for job purposes.

Major agricultural crops of this area are potatoes and apple gourd (Tinda). However, the weather is also favorable for growing winter crops in summer season which are supplied to main cities.

The trees falling in the forest due to heavy rains or fast winds is another source of income for them as selling these trees in the market brings 60 percent share to local people and 40% to the government treasury.

Since, this is very low literacy rate area, the Assistant Commissioner informed that his office has written to the provincial authorities for construction of high schools for boys and girls.

Population in this area comprises 70 percent Kohistani and 30 percent Gujjars and language usually spoken is Kohistani as this area links to Indus Kohistan starting from silk route down to Kohistan, Palas, Shangla and Kalam. But, they all also know Pashto well.

This area is so beautiful that whatever the hardships, the tourists cannot be oblivious to enchanting beauty of Kumrat blue water, Jahaz Banda, Badgoi Top, Gwaldai Dara and Sundarai Dara and upcoming beautiful lakes planned by the provincial government for the tourists.

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Adnan Siddiqui not to attend APPNA to be held in US

 

ISLAMABAD, JUN 19: The iconic actor-producer Mr. Adnan Siddiqui will not be attending APPNA to be held in the US from July14-16 given that Indian artistes too will be part of the program. 

As a self-respecting Muslim, Mr. Siddiquistrongly condemns the insolent and obscene remarks made by Hindu right-wing Indian politicians against the beloved Prophet (P.B.U.H). 

“My conscience will never allow me to be in the same space asartists from the country that has insulted our Prophet. I have nothing against the artists personally butas a form of personal protest and as solidarity for my Muslim brethren worldwide,

I have excused myselffrom the event,” Mr. Siddiqui has said.The remarks by the two Indian leaders have received widespread criticism from Muslim nations across the world including Pakistan. 

“As a Pakistani too, I stand with my country that has strongly criticized the Indian government’s enabling of such Islamophobia,” asserts Mr. Siddiqui.

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Daughters of Society

 

By, Munaza Kazmi

Today, an increasing number of girls and women migrate to the city’s sex trade to escape poverty and abuse at home. Some are trafficked and sold into the business. Many others, however, are born into the trade. For generations, families of courtesans have put their girls into prostitution when they are fourteen or fifteen years old. At this point in the generational cycle, a mother usually retires from the business and then manages her daughter’s career.

 

There are around 42 million female prostitutes all around the world, almost 80 percent of them range in age between 13-25. Keeping in view the poverty and gender inequality, probity of around 50 percent could be in the developing countries.

 

Since, women in the underdeveloped countries are deprived of basic rights and are exploited through physical violence, forced marriages, life threat, fake love affairs, runaway and sexual abuses. The conservative mindsets of the male-dominant society do not accept the women with follies. Whenever a woman put a step out of her home even for a work, the evil eyes of the men always gaze at her, moreover every possible situation could be made to buy the piece of flesh.

 

Poverty, illiteracy, economic unacceptability, family pressure, runaways, low payroll status and societal injustice are the causes of women’s entry intoprostitution. However, better to say, “Prostitution is existing due to its high demands prevailing in the society”.

 

During a correspondence with a 29 years old sexworker Meena from Haripur, I came to realize the difficulties of her life, the respect and love she yearned for, that all she wanted to do was to marry and lead a normal life but could not afford to. “My past is my curse; I have no way out,” she said as looking deeply in at nowhere. I know her for past 10 years and seen the ups and downs of her life, how her family insists her for sending money back at home, how she sold herself in order to marry her sisters and even brother.

 

Our society hate such women because they ignore the fact that, Villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told.

The issue of sex-workers in Pakistan is a taboo and has never been discussed openly.
Since Pakistan’s inception, no NGO or government organization has worked for the rights and rehabilitation of sex workers; they are only taken into consideration when talking about HIV.

Ironically, Pakistan sees its fair share of prostitution but most of it is carried out in secret. Although the trend of “red-light sex workers” was decreasing, “Heera Mandi” is now just a glistering tale of past, the business had found a new ally for itself in the internet.

 

Indeed, a coin has two sides, there are women how are economically pushed into this slavery, along there are some cases who deliberately jump into prostitution.

 

Sitaraa 27 years old refugee girl, enjoying the bounties of God whishes to join this line, only for the sake of more only saying, “I want a rich patron to support my lifestyle, from my pocket money I cannot afford brands”.

 

This world is full of spectacles unimaginable sometimes, one end is the poverty sicken, on the other lust and disgust.

 

Prostitution is a hard work. It is a cutthroat business and girls usually have a short career. Even those who start at the top usually descend the career ladder very rapidly. They are in their prime at eighteen and are ‘used goods’ by twenty-five. Until recently, a variety of classes of women lived and worked in this business, from elite courtesans who earned the equivalent of thousands a night, to women in down-market lane, who earned a few rupees per customer. At a basic level, all the women sold the same services, together with their youth and varying degrees of beauty.

Jalwa, years old married woman, was forced into prostitution after closing off the saloon in which she worked, “I wanted to get a job. I tried everywhere,” she said. But her weakening financial conditions got the better of her. “My children and husband do not know that I work as a sex worker. I told them I work at a parlor,”.

 

Names of the sex workers have been changed to protect their identity.

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Munaza Kazmi holds MPhil in Management Sciences (Bahria University Islamabad, 2020). She’s a travel writer, an author, & co-author of scientific contributions in national & international publications. Her main areas of research include tourism & quality management.

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Serena Shigar Fort; A Historic Heritage Hotel of Pakistan

 

Munaza Kazmi

The classical History lovers are pinned everywhere in the world, looking for exploring another piece of art. Pakistan! Famous for its wildest and most dangerous peaks, is a home to Indus Valley civilization, Gandhara, Mughal Rule, Tribal Kingdoms and a lot many. However, one can only look at them in Museums, Palaces or Forts, but had never got the opportunity to live the History. What if I take you somewhere.

IMAGINE! in the middle of gigantic mountains, a day into the actual homes of Kings and Queens, the splendor of Royalty on the rhythms of History.

About 170km,almost a two hours unforgettably beautiful drive from Sakardu Airport, Gilgit Baltistanlies the Shigar, an absolutely beautiful gift of nature.There are stunning natural treasures like the Katpana Desert, also known as the Cold Desert and is the highest desert in the world. Among the valley’s mountainous landscapes is K2, the second-highest mountain in the world, Trango Towers, Concordia Glacier amongst many other glaciers. Surrounded by greenery and captative beauty of lakes, Shigar is no doubt a glamorous tourist spot.The perfect tone of the clouds, the huge mountains and the tranquility makes the place a heavenly and magical,where your IMAGINATION will be turning into reality.

Serena Shigar Fort, known as Fong-Khar which in the local language means the “Palace on the Rock”, it is one of Northern Pakistan’s most beautiful hotels. There you almost feel as if you have stepped in to a movie set because it is so picturesque.

Decorated by the magnificent beauty of Baltistan’s Karakoram Mountain Range and four centuries of folklore and legends, Serena Shigar Fort is a oneofakind heritage boutique hotel situated within a peaceful natural setting. Experience history in a 450-year-old fort and the 17th century Palace of the Raja of Shigar, along with the more recently added "Old House" and "Garden House".

Ancient mountain landscapes, stunning views and the ambience of a 400-year-old Fort-Palace set our 15 rooms and 5 suites among Pakistan’s most serene and timeless sanctuaries. Ornamented in warm earth tones, all accommodations feature locally inspired design touches like wooden floors, exquisite woodwork, native stone and period furnishings.

The 13 traditional guest rooms located in the original 17th century Palace offer you an exclusive glimpse into the life of the Raja and Rani of Shigar, where you can actually enjoy the ways of royalty. Moreover, a more recent addition to the grounds, the Garden House offers 7 conventional rooms with modern comforts like flat-screen televisions and room service. These accommodations were crafted using building materials and techniques faithful to the historical architecture of Shigar Fort. Adorned with handmade fabrics and antiques, Garden House rooms feature private terraces with views of the Amacha Garden. The most important! all rooms at Serena Shigar Fort are non-smoking.

Standard Room: These non-smoking heritage rooms offers either double, single or twin beds covered by cloudy white sheets and a well-appointed bathroom with shower. 

Garden House Standard Room: Spacious Garden House Rooms feature double or twin beds, a lobby area, cable television and a romantic private wood balcony facing the picturesque Baradari monument and Amacha Garden.

Garden Suite: Providing a little more space than Garden Rooms, Garden Suite feature a king bed, sitting area with Diwan, in-room cable television, a modern bathroom equipped with all the modern-day facilities, and a glamorous private balcony facing the beautiful Baradari monument and Amacha Garden, from where the scented smell would keep coming.

Heritage Suite: The hotel’s 3 Heritage Suites originally served as the chambers of the royal women and the Raja’s mid-season quarters. Spacious and opulently decorated with period antiques, these Suites offer a king bed in the main bedroom, a single bed in a separate anteroom or Shah-e-Nasheen and a sitting area. Special features include beautiful paneled ceilings and carvings on Shah Nasheen.

Royal Suite: Originally the Raja’s royal summer quarters, this non-smoking suite features one comfortable king bed, an adjoining sitting area, originally Raja’s Baithak, a “Shah-e-Nasheen” and an airy, hanging wooden latticework balcony. Decorated in period antiques with a splendid view of the Shigar stream, the room is appointed with a working desk, one exquisite bathroom and a powder room.

Fong Khar Restaurant

The culinary philosophy at Serena Shigar Fort is based on providing the finest seasonal and, where possible, local ingredients from Shigar Valley farms and providers. All meals feature fresh produce from hotel’s very own cherry orchards and vegetable garden, including a handmade cherry ice cream sure to be the delight of your stay.

Amidst a historic stone and wood design, Fong Khar Restaurant invites conversation among guests while savoring an innovative menu of Pakistani, Balti, Chinese and Continental specialties.

During the warmer months, the al fresco garden is the perfect setting for a meal beneath the grapevine with beautiful views of the Shigar stream and surrounding village. However, for private dining events, the first floor offers a Turkish-style seating area with an open veranda seating presentinggorgeous village and stream views.

From the traditional stone and wood architecture to the tranquil sight and sound of the Shigar stream flowing in front of the hotel, the experience here is that of a peaceful home away from home in an ancient, historic undisturbed wilderness.

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Munaza Kazmi holds MPhil in Management Sciences (Bahria University Islamabad, 2020). She’s a travel writer, an author, & co-author of scientific contributions in national & international publications. Her main areas of research include tourism & quality management.

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Air University organizes career fair for students in Islamabad

 

ISLAMABAD, JUN 17: To enhance the professional growth of students and promote industry-academia linkages, Air University conducted Career Fair 2022 at its university premises today.

The career fair provides excellent opportunities to students for gainful employment as well as to strengthen its partnership with prospective employers. At the same time it provides an opportunity for prominent national and multinational companies to connect with fresh, energetic talent and position themselves as preferred employers.

More than 100 national and international organizations representing multiple industries and sectors participated in the Career Fair. Students and recruiters took part in different activities including extensive on-spot screening interviews, sharing information as well as exchanging resumes. Moreover, company representatives also counselled students regarding their career choices and job market requirements.

Vice Chancellor Air University, Air Marshal (Retd) Javed Ahmed said that such events provide common platform to students and job providers so the talent gets the recognition and ways to channelize their inner strengths and energies and employers get the best for their companies. He mentioned that post COVID 19, virtual networking options are very important as employers and employees both prefer to connect through virtual platforms.

He further added that as part of CPEC interventions government should ensure provision of university at every 1000 KMs which can serve as a major prosperity tool to help Pakistan promote education and overcome economic problems.

Director Digital Time Communications, Nazakat Hussain appreciated the role this industry-academia-youth linkage is playing in the youth employment. He said that such collaborations will go a long way in the economic and social development of country by polishing talent and creating a talent pool.

The Diabetes Centre also participated in the career fair not only to hire fresh graduates but also raised awareness among the youth about the diabetes and its symptoms.

Pepsi, Air Blue, Nayatel, Meezan Bank, Soneri Bank, UBL, Askari Bank, Ufone, ProPakistani, PTCL, Huawei, Fauji Cements, Digital Time Communications, The Diabetic Centre and many other prestigious organizations participated in the Career Fair 2022.

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