Malam Jabba ski resort closed after PHC order

SWAT: Malam Jabba ski resort is among one of the favourite tourist spots in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, however, it will no longer entertain the visitors after the local administration in Swat has decided to shut the place, ARY NEWS reported.

The development, which is termed as a major setback for tourism in the country, came after the Peshawar High Court (PHC) barred the Malam Jabba ski resort’s administration from charging entry fees.

Due to the recent interim Order of the honorable Peshawar High Court Mingora Bench, Malam Jabba Ski Resort has had to take the difficult decision of closure of the Resort as it is no longer possible to run the Resort profitably. #mjshutdown
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— Malamjabba Ski Resort (@Mjskiresort) April 2, 2021

The administration was charging Rs 300 for the entry into the hill station.

Tourists are advised not to visit Malam Jabba Ski Resort as the chairlift, Zipline and all other activities are closed.

Any inconvenience is regretted.
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— Malamjabba Ski Resort (@Mjskiresort) April 2, 2021

Soon after the court orders the local authorities not only shut down the resort but also issued instructions for the travellers to avoid visiting the place.

Special Assistant to PM on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari took to Twitter to express his dismay over the closure and said that it was unfortunate to close it down at the peak of the tourism season.

Unfortunate to see one of our best resorts close down at the peak of tourism season.
This upsets many people’s plans just days away from #Ramzan.. the last thing Pakistan’s booming tourism industry needs right now is disruptiveness. pic.twitter.com/dC6QIGYgF5

— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) April 3, 2021

It is pertinent to mention here that the chairlift at the Malam Jabba resort was inaugurated by incumbent Prime Minister Imran Khan and Pervez Khattak in 2016.

The scenic hill station of Malam Jabba is located 314 km from Islamabad, and is home to the only ski resort in Pakistan. It was developed with assistance from the government of Austria to provide facilities for winter sports and adventure tourism.