ISLAMABAD: Authorities have established 13 facilitation centers for tourists in the Pakistani hill station of Murree, the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Sunday, amid continuing rain and snowfall in the resort town.
The development comes after the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) urged authorities to take precautionary measures and advised travelers to exercise caution while traveling to hilly areas, with cold weather and smog expected to grip several parts of the country this week.
The Punjab PDMA said on Sunday that rain and snowfall were likely to continue in Murree over the next 24 hours, which could affect the flow of traffic on roads in and around the resort town.
“The [Murree] administration must remain alert and there should be no negligence,” Punjab PDMA Director-General Irfan Ali Kathia said in a statement.
“Snow should be cleared from roads through heavy machinery and the flow of traffic must be ensured.”
In Jan. 2022, 22 snow tourists died in their vehicles trapped by heavy snowfall and traffic snarl-ups in the resort town.
Kathia requested tourists to check the weather conditions before setting out on their journey and to exercise caution.
“Efforts are being made to ensure that no untoward incident occurs,” he added.
Authorities set up tourist facilitation centers amid snowfall in Pakistani resort town of Murree
https://arab.news/n4r27
Authorities set up tourist facilitation centers amid snowfall in Pakistani resort town of Murree
- Official advises citizens to take precautionary measures and avoid unnecessary travel
- In 2022, 22 people died in their vehicles trapped by heavy snowfall, snarl-ups in Murree
A family, a recipe, a city: ras malai dessert defines a Sialkot institution
- Founded in 1947, Inayat Sweets draws devotees from across Pakistan and abroad for a dessert steeped in tradition
- Customers and shop owners say decades-old methods, pure ingredients have kept taste unchanged across generations
SIALKOT: In the narrow streets of Pakistan’s eastern city of Sialkot — best known globally for footballs stitched by hand and precision surgical instruments — a modest sweet shop has quietly built a reputation that stretches far beyond the city.
For nearly eight decades, Inayat Sweets has drawn crowds for a single dessert: ras malai, a soft, milk-based delicacy that occupies a special place in South Asian food culture.
Ras malai, traditionally made from fresh cheese patties gently simmered and soaked in lightly sweetened milk, is prized for its delicate texture and subtle richness. It is often reserved for celebrations, family gatherings and moments of indulgence. At Inayat Sweets, customers say, it has become something closer to ritual.
The shop’s story began in 1947, the year British colonial rule ended and the Indian subcontinent was partitioned, when its founder migrated from India and set up a small business selling milk and yogurt in the newly formed Pakistan.
Today, the legacy is carried forward by Abdul Rashid, who runs the shop much as his grandfather once did.
“My grandfather opened this shop in 1947 when he migrated from India. It was a very small business. Basically, we were selling milk and yogurt,” Rashid told Arab News.
Over time, the offerings expanded, but one item emerged as the shop’s defining identity.
“Our most famous item is ras malai, ” Rashid said. “Then we have winter halwas [confection] like carrot halwa, pumpkin halwa, egg halwa, beans halwa etc.”
Rashid says the secret behind the shop’s longevity lies less in innovation than in discipline, and a refusal to compromise on ingredients.
“All sweets have the same sugar and ghee, but we do everything with honesty. Most important is everything here is made of pure organic ghee, milk is 100 percent pure.”
That emphasis on quality has turned Inayat Sweets into a destination rather than a neighborhood stop, with customers traveling specifically for its ras malai.
“God has been so kind on me that not only in Pakistan but from whole world people want the ras malai of Inayat Sweets,” he said, adding that family support remains central to the business. “I have big support of my wife.”
For many customers, the relationship stretches back decades.
“The ras malai here is the best. We are coming here for last 25, 26 years and by the grace of God no one has made such ras malai. Neither someone has made such halwas,” said customer Shahbaz Ishaq.
Others say they have searched widely, without success, for the same flavor elsewhere.
“This taste is nowhere in Sialkot and I have gone outside Sialkot and tried it in other cities. This ras malai can be found only in this shop. I am coming here since I was 10-year-old,” said Yaseen Chohan.
For some, the distinction lies in the shop’s use of khoya, or reduced milk solids, a labor-intensive ingredient that many modern producers avoid.
“This is good! Specially khoya is used in every product,” said Altaf Hussain. “It’s very tasty and high quality.”
