Daily Times

UPPER DIR: The beautiful “Sadgai Lake”, surrounded by greenish mountains, in the beautiful and picturesque Usheri Dara valley in Upper Dir district needs the attention of the government and the tourism department to develop as a grand tourist spot.

The lake is situated at a height of about 8500 feet from the sea level. It takes almost three to four hours to reach there on foot. There is a big and wide green ground in front of the Sadgai Lake.

Tourists across the country including Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, DI Khan, Lahore, Multan, Karachi and other areas come to visit the lake and valley and enjoy its natural beautiful location and scenery.

However they complained about the shortage of basic facilities like roads, guest houses and the availability of mobile services.

Saqlain Afridi, a tourist from Kohat, said that it was a beautiful place to visit and they were very happy after visiting the Sadgai Lake, adding that they had seen lots of tourist places like Murree, Muzzafarabad, Kalam, Malamjaba however they could not find such natural beauty anywhere. He said that they also enjoyed the romantic weather of the Sadgai Lake.

Saifullah, a resident of Gandigar, said that he came with his guests and visited the Sadgai Lake for the first time. He said that he was considering himself extremely unlucky that he did not visit Sadgai before that.

He said that though the place was very beautiful however it was very difficult for the tourists abroad from Upper Dir district and especially for those who live in cities to come there because of its difficult route.

“One of our guests from Lahore had tired and insisted on returning,” said Saifullah. He said that the government should make a road to the Sadgai Lake to provide an easy and comfortable facility to go there.

“After watching the reflection of the nearby mountains and sky in the clear bluish water of the Sadgai Lake, you can feel yourself like being in a valley of dreams,” said a tourist, Mauz Khan, from Peshawar, singing a Pushto song and throwing stones into the lake.

He said that it was really a dreamy scene and he had never seen such a romantic place before, adding that he was thinking about spending his honeymoon at the Sadgai Lake.

“I can’t imagine what that moment would when we as a couple will enjoy our honeymoon here on the brink of the Sadgai Lake if possible,” said Mauz.

Local residents said that they were organising a cricket tournament every year in Sadgai for the purpose of catching the attention of tourists. Muhammad Tariq, a resident of Usheri Khas, said Sadgai was a very beautiful place and tourists should visit it for at least one time.

He said lots of things existed there for the attraction of tourists like waterfalls, cold and clean water flowing from the height, greenery, forest and lots of other things.

Local people and tourists demanded for basic facilities and for developing the Sadgai Lake as a tourist spot. They said that if the government and tourism department of the KP pay their attention towards it and make a road and provide other facilities then the Sadgai Lake could be turned into a fabulous tourist spot.