Chitral Times Report
ISLAMABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Muhammad Atif Khan and Mayer Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad Sheikh Ansar Aziz Saturday inaugurated the 44-kilometre Trail-5 traversing Margalla Hills National Park Islamabad and Huripur Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The trail has three different interconnected paths. One is the normal one which has a spring called Ficus Spring and the last one is named as Trail 5 Dangerous. It is unique among the popular trails of Margalla Hills Islamabad as its terrain is at some point steep and at some point plain. So one can have a good combination of hard and relax time with the exception of the Trail 5 Dangerous. The Ficus Spring has a refreshing experience. One can refill water bottles with the natural and fresh/clean water from the spring and can even splash some water on face for refreshing.
Most part of the trail passes through the picturesque, calm, clean and green areas of District Haripur Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with available Camping spots. The Minister on this occasion directed that such camping spots for the relaxation and stay of the tourists be developed on urgent basis. He said that though the KP government has very limited resources while it has no closeness with multinational corporations to avail of their Corporate Social Responsibilities Funds but having fixed their priorities properly it will be able to developed the tourism sector and bring about a visible change for the better.
Addressing on the occasion, Muhammad Atif Khan said that Allah Almighty had bestowed us with the most beautiful places which are already worth tourism and tourists enjoyment but the only thing we need is to preserve it and that, he stressed is the need of the hour. He said that Tourism spots in KP were never less tourists and eco-friendly than those of the world popular South Africa and Canada but one has to make it accessible and open to the tourists. On the other hand, when foot-fall on these picturesque areas increases, one has to work for its preservation. Therefore, he said that KP Tourism Department is working on both these fronts. On the one hand more and more tourists’ spots are opened to the public while on the other hand the preservation of environment in these areas is focused. He said that KP Tourism Department was working in a proper manner having established a Tourism Task Force as well as a Tourism Think-Tank and will establish a Tourism authority will coordinate the promotion of tourism activities with other departments of the Government.
Earlier, the Mayer Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad Sheikh Ansar Aziz highlighted the MCI activities for the preservation and development environments and wildlife in Islamabad particularly Margella Hills National Park. Secretary Sports and Tourism Shahid Zaman was also present on the occasion while the ceremony was attended by a large number of activits particularly members of the wildlife preservation board.
