Though called paradise on earth due to its implausible beauty, Siren valley of Mansehra district is an unexplored tourist destination mostly due to lack of access roads.

However, inclusion in the provincial government’s strategy for tourism promotion promises the development of the stunning place most tourists and mountaineers don’t know about.

The government has planned to attract visitors from within the country and abroad to the valley’s magnificent landscapes by building roads to and in it and ensuring amenities.

The heart and commercial headquarters of the picturesque valley is Jabori, which is a northern area of Mansehra district. Visitors reach here from Shinkiari, a town on Karakoram Highway, after a one-hour drive.

Spread between Shinkiari and Jabori is the picturesque Dadar, which has pine and deodar trees in abundance. It used to have a tuberculosis sanatorium attracting patients from within the country and abroad.

Built by the British Army in 1936 on the bank of the Siren River splitting the valley, the facility was turned into a general and mental hospital.

The Siren River, which leaves these valleys more beautiful, originates from the Mandagucha glacier and merges with the Indus.

Passing through Panjool area in the western plain of Pakhli, it also irrigates the fertile land through upper Siren canal in Dharial and through lower Siren canal in Shinkiari.

District police officer Zaibullah Khan said the provincial government had included many destinations of the province, which were paradise on earth but hadn’t been explored by tourists and mountaineers, in the strategy for tourism promotion and Siren and Konsh valleys were among them.

“The government is going to create a special tourism force for the safety and guidance of tourists. Our district will get around 800 policemen as its share in that force,” he said.

The DPO said the tourism promotion strategy was likely to make the unexplored tourism attractions of Siren and Konsh valleys, Tanawal and Darband areas in Mansehra district accessible to visitors from within the country and abroad in the next summer season.

“The government wants to ensure the tourists’ easy access to these picturesque attractions and therefore, tourism is being made a full-fledged industry. It will also help earn lots of revenue,” he said.

Tourism minister Atif Khan asked the deputy commissioner of Mansehra lately to file a comprehensive report about the unexplored tourist attractions in the district for their development.

He said both federal and provincial governments wanted to tap tourism potential to the maximum by building roads, ensuring facilities, and providing security to tourists.

The DPO said Siren and Konsh valleys would be open to tourists in the next season.

Anwar Khan Swati of Dadar area said it was good to see both federal and provincial governments promote tourism as an industry as the initiative would not only attract visitors to unexplored yet awesome destinations but would also benefit locals economically.

He believed that incentives for hoteliers and other businesses, especially relief in taxes, would promote tourism in Siren and Konsh valleys.

The resident said the government should repair and blacktop the roads from Mundi Mountains in Siren valley to Choar valley in Allai area of Battagram district to bring about a ‘revolution’ in tourism sector.

Niar Shahzad, a trekker, said there were a lot of attractions for tourists and mountaineers in Siren and Konsh valleys.

“I have scaled a mountainous range from Siren valley to Allai valley at around 12,000 feet above the sea level. The adventurous journey was memorable as the way to my destinations was dotted with numerous attractions,” he said.

The trekker said Mundi, which was located in Jabar Devli at around 12,000 feet above the sea level, was undoubtedly paradise on earth for having snowy mountains, pearly-white fountains, picturesque meadows, and soothing atmosphere.

“The mountain range from Mundi in Siren valley to Chuar valley in Allai and Pleadge meadows are ideal places for skiing and other winter sports as they’re covered by heavy snow almost all through the year,” he said.

Mr Shahzad said Musa Da Musala, Kund Bangla, Shaheed Pani rest house and Pleadge meadows were inaccessible by road and could be reached by foot only.

Like Kaghan, Siren and Konsh valleys were also hit by the 2005 strong earthquake, which caused serious damage to individual livelihoods.

The experts insist that tourism promotion will tangibly improve the residents’ lives.

“We have provided over 6,000 makeshift shelters to locals, built retaining walls, put up link roads, and pavements since the earthquake hit these valleys,” said Sahibzada Javed Alfaizi, the managing director of Saibaan development organisation.

He said his organisation had built 10 women-friendly halls, where members of the marginalised segment of society could hold interactive sessions on different aspects of life and undergo vocational training for improvement in socioeconomic condition.

“The inclusion of Siren and Konsh valleys in the government’s strategy for tourism promotion will not only widen its recreational infrastructure and revenue but will also provide the locals with a respectable living,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2019