NEELUM VALLEY/ISLAMABAD: Home to several freshwater streams, lush green mountains and a river, visitors have found the scenic Neelum Valley in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir to be a new alternative for snow-tourists in the country.
Extending along the Neelum River for around 200 kilometers, the picturesque valley was popular as a summer tourist spot in the past and people were not much aware of it as a potential destination to witness snowfall.
A large number of tourists recently reached the spellbinding Himalayan gorge after local administration in Murree diverted them in view of massive footfall in the hill station, where nearly two dozen snow-tourists died in their vehicles trapped by heavy snowfall and snarl-ups on Saturday.

In view of a record influx of tourists, local authorities organized a two-day Neelum Snow Festival over the weekend to promote winter tourism in the valley. It included a jeep rally from the deputy commissioner’s office in Athmuqam to Upper Neelum, winter sports, musical event and an exhibition of local handicrafts.

Iqra Waseem, a resident of Punjab’s Sialkot city who attended the festival, said opting for Neelum as an alternate came in part due to unaffordable fares for hotel rooms in Murree.
“Stay charges at Murree hotels are always sky-high. There is also a general complaint about impoliteness of Murree hotel administration toward visitors,” said Waseem, who was accompanied by around two dozen family members.

“This compels tourists to look for other options like Neelum, which is scenic and has breathtaking views.”
Mehtab Hussain Larik, a teenager from Sindh’s Ghotki district, said he was loving his first Neelum visit.
“I along with my family enjoyed snowfall a lot, though I haven’t been able to upload my photos and videos on social media because of no Internet,” Larik told Arab News in Keran. “I will convince my friends back home to come with me here the next time.”

Stalls of handmade Kashmiri embroidered shawls were the center of attraction for visiting women tourists in the area.
“Kashmiri shawls are a product of the cottage industry run by local women. These are souvenirs from Kashmir,” a young vendor, who introduced himself as Aqeel, told Arab News.
“These events provide an opportunity to showcase local handicrafts that are known not just in Pakistan, but in other parts of the world as well,” he said.
Shaukat Khan Yousafzai, the deputy commissioner of Neelum district, told Arab News many tourists came to the valley from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and elsewhere across the country.
“Some were diverted to Neelum after they were unable to enter Murree due to the huge influx of tourists there,” he said, adding that this winter, the number of tourists visiting the valley was higher than their expectations.

Last year, around 2 million people visited the valley, according to official figures of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government. However, most of these tourists came in summer. This year, the number is expected to go as high as 3 million.
The snow festival was organized after the valley received more than seven inches of snow.
“Snowfall in the first week of January was just the beginning. We will estimate the number of snow-tourists at the end of the season,” DC Yousufzai said.

An official of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir tourist police, which was established in 2019, said their friendly attitude was helping promote tourism in the valley.
“As per cases registered for lost belongings of tourists in Neelum Valley, AJK tourist police have successfully returned 99 percent of them to their owners,” AJK police official Abdul Quddus told Arab News.
“These belongings included mobile phones, jewelry and other valuables.”