Daily Times

PESHAWAR: A large number of tourists from all over Pakistan are visiting Swat to enjoy the end of dry spell marked by healthy rains and snowfall in upper areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) which use to be the coldest in January minimum temperature of -2°C.

Its altitude varies from 2.500 feet to 7.500 feet. The total area of Swat is 5.337 square kilometers with a population of about 1.250.000.

The Metrological Department on Friday said that more rain and snowfall is expected in Madyan, Kalam, Miandam and Malam Jabba along other parts of KP during the coming days due to which people have rushed to northern areas to take fresh breath and enjoy the cool weather.

A large number of tourists have reached to different districts of Swat to enjoy the snowfall and scenic natural beauty. Besides the visitors, the local people are also enjoying the rain and snowfall after long dry spell.

The local people while talking to Daily Times said that the weather in lower Swat valley use to be short and moderate while it is cool and refreshing in the upper northern part. The winter season is long and extends from November to March, rain and snowfall occurs during this season, they added.

The amount of rainfall received during winter season remains more than that of summer season. That is one of the reasons for such a cold and healthy weather.

The Tourist Shahzeb Khan said that Swat is famous various reasons including its scenic beauty, snow capped peaks, countless waterfalls and glaciers. he added

The water springs and pastures, streams and rivulets, thick woods, glades and glens, natural parks, lakes and dark forests of Swat are very notorious and awesome. he said It’s truly labeled as the Switzerland of Asia.

The valley of Swat is surrounded by high mountains covered with snowfall. It’s bounded by Chitral and Ghizer districts in the North, Kohistan and Shangla districts in the East, Buner district and Malakand areas in the South and Dir districts in the West. Which serve as a junk for beauties combined on similar point to please the visitors.

2nd Snow-jeep rally on Jan 8 Lowari top, jeepers across country arrived: Second Lowari snow-jeep rally would be held on Jan 8 in the scenic and snow covered Lowari top for which the jeepers across the country had already reached to Dir the other day. The Pakistan State Oil is sponsoring the event which is the Pak army and district government of Upper Dir is organising.

More than 50 jeepers of the five different clubs from Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad and other areas are taking part in the competition. Local drivers were also invited to take part in the jeep rally to show and enhance their skills. The aim of the event is, to give a strong message of peace in the area to the world. The snow-jeep rally is the second edition of its nature and first rally had been organised in 2016.

The Lowari top has always been considering one of the most vulnerable and dangerous rout in the world which was close to traffic for almost five to six months every year in the past due to heavy snowfall. And thus, the district of Chitral was remained cut off from other parts of the Pakistan in those months. The Lowari top road is known on the name of ‘hair-pen’ which consists of about 37-kilometers. Twenty curved and zigzag turns are also present in the narrow Lowari top road. For which a mighty and brave heart is required to drive on the road. However, the previous year jeepers had proved that the Lowari top road is never a vulnerable road but those competitors had declared the road is adventurous one

Local people of the Upper Dir at Akhgram, Wari, Darora, Bibyawar, Chukiatan and Dir city had warmly welcomed of the guest jeepers and they shower flowers on the participants of the rally came from Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore and other areas. It is a four-day which has started from Jan 5 in Dir and stalls of local and traditional instruments and handicrafts have been established in the Dir. The visitors and local are amused with music and traditional Khattak dance. The main event of the four-day festival is the jeep rally in the Lowari top.