MANSEHRA: Visitors from various parts of the country thronged the tourist resort of Shogran to celebrate the Eidul Fitr.

Tourists, including women and children, visited Shogran, Siri, and Paya, situated at the base of Koh-i-Makra, and experienced the unique landscapes and soothing environment.

“I have visited this place many times before, but the picturesque landscape, high mountains, and pollution-free environment attract me again and again,” Jabran Ali, a visitor from Lahore, told reporters.

He added that while the rest of the country was experiencing hot weather, Shogran remained chilly in the mornings, with nearby mountains still covered beneath snow.

Meanwhile, police restricted visitors from travelling beyond Kaghan town as the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road, which was closed to traffic in November last year following the season’s first snowfall, was yet to be cleared of snow.

Traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, which was suspended with the onset of snowfall in Kaghan Valley, also remained blocked.

Despite the provincial government’s announcement to reopen the MNJ Road for Eid to revive tourism in Kaghan Valley, the National Highway Authority has not yet begun removing glaciers and snow from the route.

To ensure visitors’ safety, police personnel have been deployed in Shogran and along the MNJ Road from Balakot to Kaghan town.

Traffic wardens effectively managed the traffic flow on Eid days.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2025