PESHAWAR: Over 95,000 tourists visited various scenic destinations across Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province during the Eid Al-Fitr holidays, the provincial tourism authority said on Thursday.
KP, with its scenic mountains, valleys and lakes, is home to popular tourist destinations like Swat, Malam Jabba, Abbottabad, Kaghan, Naran and Shogran, which attract visitors from across Pakistan.
Pakistan observed the three-day Eid Al-Fitr holidays — celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan — from Mar. 31 to Apr. 2.
“Tourists flocked to various tourist destinations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Eid-Al-Fitr,” Muhammad Saad, the spokesperson for the KP Tourism Authority, said in a statement on Thursday.
“More than 95,000 tourists were recorded in three days.”
He said the highest number of tourists visited the province’s scenic Naran valley, 42,111, during the Eid holidays and the Galiyat region saw 28,000 visitors during the same time period.
At least 16,400 tourists visited Kumrat valley, he added.
“Tourism police personnel are performing their duty at various tourist destinations,” the official said.
Tourism in KP saw a massive surge during last year’s Eid holidays, with an increase of over 360 percent compared to 2023.
According to data from the provincial tourism authority, at least 580,000 tourists visited northwestern Pakistan during the five-day holidays in April 2024.
While Pakistan’s inflation has significantly decreased compared to last year, militant attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have surged recently.
March saw militant attacks in Pakistan exceed 100 for the first time in over nine years, making it the deadliest month since 2015, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).
The think tank reported that KP and southwestern Balochistan province were the hardest-hit provinces, although eastern Punjab and southern Sindh also witnessed a rise in militant activity.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of providing shelter to militant groups targeting civilians and security forces in cross-border attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a claim that has been denied by Kabul’s authorities.
Northwest Pakistan sees influx of over 95,000 tourists during Eid holidays
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Northwest Pakistan sees influx of over 95,000 tourists during Eid holidays
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Naran Valley saw the highest tourist turnout, says the provincial tourism authority
- Northwestern Pakistan is home to scenic mountain landscapes, lush valleys and picturesque lakes
Pakistan launches $136 million Ramadan relief package for 12.1 million families
- Rs13,000 per family to be transferred via bank accounts, mobile wallets under cashless system
- Pakistan’s national space agency says the Muslim fasting month is likely to begin from Feb. 19
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday launched a Rs38 billion ($136 million) Ramadan relief package, pledging direct digital cash transfers of Rs13,000 ($47) each to 12.1 million low-income families across Pakistan.
Pakistan’s national space agency announced a day earlier the Ramadan crescent would likely be visible on Feb. 18, with the first fast expected to fall on Feb. 19, subject to official confirmation.
The government will distribute the relief package through bank accounts and regulated mobile wallet platforms, fully replacing the previous utility store-based subsidy model with a digital payment mechanism overseen by the State Bank of Pakistan.
“This year, Rs38 billion have been allocated ... that will not only be distributed to the rightful people in all four provinces, but also to Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir through these wallets and digital bank accounts,” the prime minister said during a ceremony in the federal capital, adding that 12.1 million families would benefit.
The allocation marks a sharp increase from last year’s Rs 20 billion ($72 million) Ramadan program, as the government expands coverage and deepens its shift toward cash-based targeted subsidies.
Officials said Rs28 billion ($101 million) has been earmarked for families not currently receiving support under any federal income assistance program, while an additional Rs10 billion ($36 million) will go to those already registered under existing social protection schemes.
Syed Imran Shah, federal minister for poverty alleviation and social security, said the digital framework would allow transfers to be made in a “safe, effective and easy way,” reducing leakages and preserving beneficiaries’ dignity by eliminating long queues and physical distribution centers.
Amir Ali Ahmed, secretary of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), said the 2026 rollout builds on last year’s digital transition, when around two million beneficiaries received payments electronically.
A third-party validation report issued in December 2025 confirmed the transparency and operational effectiveness of the system, he added.
The prime minister said he would personally oversee periodic reviews of the program to ensure timely disbursement.
The government had scrapped the Utility Store-based Ramadan subsidy system last year, arguing that it led to quality concerns, long queues and administrative inefficiencies.
The digital transfer model aims to move toward a targeted subsidy regime aligned with broader efforts to expand financial inclusion and reduce cash-based leakages.
