Daily Times

MUZAFFARABAD: Tourism in Azad Jammu and Kashmir suffered immense loss amid COVID-19 this summer.

Many tourists operators besides public transport companies are unable to fulfil their expenses.

One of the tourists operator MD Mughal said, “As being resident of Neelum Valley, we wait for summers every year and these are few months of our earning but this year we haven’t seen a single tourist as all tourist spots are closed due to coronavirus.”

Another tourists’ vehicle operator Shahid Malik said that our vehicles are standing on their stops since long and it is really hard to pay salaries to drivers and other staffers of the last 3 months.

Similarly, hotel and restaurant owners are facing the same issues due to closure of tourists spots in AJK.

Many tourists are observed coming back from AJK as the tourists points are closed and the roads leading to these points are also closed on the entry points of AJK.

Deputy Commissioner Muzaffarabad Badar Munir said that we have observed immense outbreak in Muzaffarabad (capital of AJK) in last 2 weeks and hence decided to impose strict lockdown since 12 june for one week.

“No any tourist and non-residents of AJK are allowed to enter in Muzaffarabad during lockdown and all tourists points will remain close during health emergency imposed in AJK” DC Muzaffarabad added.

Almost all picnic points in AJK including Neelum Valley, Jehlum Valley, Rawalakot, Banjosa lake etc are closed due to corona virus in Pakistan.