ISLAMABAD: The picturesque ski resort in Malam Jabba is at the brink of shutting all its operations and closing to tourists again over security threats from local influential and miscreants.

In this regard, the Samson’s Group of Companies has written a letter to the federal authorities, Swat Regional Police Officer and Deputy Commissioner seeking urgent police support to deal with the threats.

Pir Waris Shah, general manager of the resort told media here on Saturday that we have invested billions of rupees on operations and maintenance of this resort, but the local influential and miscreants have been threatening us with dire consequences.

Some local miscreants of the area have been threatening the resort management to close the tourist spot as they have been trying to encroach on the resort land with connivance of some influential of the area and government officials, the GM of the resort added.

PM for ensuring int’l standard facilities to tourists

The letter also addressed to the Ministry of Interior said that Samson’s Group of Companies have received information from credible sources that the Malam Jabba Ski Resort in Swat is going to be attacked by miscreants from the Malam Jabba area with an intent to take over the resort.

The resort management has requested the police and local administration to provide adequate police support at the resort at the earliest possible in order to protect the resort from the invasion of the miscreants in the best public interest.

The resort remained closed during peak season of the tourism in early summer for two months, causing huge inconvenience to tourists.

Some of the tourists said the closure of the resort was also against the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan for tourism boost in the country. The management has appealed to the prime minister to look into the issue and help keep the resort operational for tourists, the letter added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021