PAKISTAN: Tourists Flee Osama Shadow

• by Irfan Ahmed (chitral valley, pakistan)
• Friday, May 06, 2011
• Inter Press Service

Local officials and residents note a number of cancellations from tourists who have apparently heeded their embassies’ travel advisories to stay out of Chitral, which borders the Afghan province of Nuristan, a Taliban stronghold.

Many countries, among them the United States, Australia, the UK, and New Zealand, have advised their nationals not to travel to Pakistan. Those already here have been advised to avoid volatile regions. To reach Chitral by road, travellers have to pass through the high-risk areas of Dir and Malakand.

On May 12, Chitral’s Kalash tribes in Bamburet, Birir and Rambur valleys are holding their traditional spring festival Chilimjusht, but the tourists who usually arrive early to get better deals from hotels and tour operators are coming in trickles.

Foreign tourists are a major contributor to the economy of the region, and some residents, like 38- year-old driver-cum-guide Amanullah, make a handsome living during the tourist season. He told IPS, however, that some European visitors who were supposed to arrive from Islamabad a day ago had decided to stay put in the capital city.

'They were my clients. I tried to convince them it was safe to visit Chitral. But quite understandably they took the travel advisory issued by their embassies more seriously,' said Amanullah.

Chitral valley is surrounded by the majestic Hindu Kush Mountains, and is home to lush green fields and one of the world’s oldest civilisations. The main attraction here is the Shandur Polo Festival, held at the world's highest polo grounds. The area is also rich in the history, culture and lifestyle of the pagan Kalash tribes, believed to be the progeny of Greek soldiers who accompanied Alexander the Great.

Chitral is known as a safe destination for tourists coming from all over the world, but recent events like the killing of Al-Qaeda founder and leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad is likely to keep many of them away.

Fazl-e-Rabbi, an engineer working on donor-funded Micro Hydel power projects in Chitral, who is privy to meetings held among the district administration, festival organisers, law enforcers and community members, told IPS he sees visitors to the festival being mostly locals.

Rabbi cited a recent armed attack on border security by militants in Chitral. 'You cannot hide such news from the world. Foreigners do not travel to a place without updating themselves on it through Internet searches,' he said.

The attack Rabbi referred to took place in the early hours of Monday, shortly after U.S. forces snuck into Abbottabad and killed bin Laden.

That day, militants attacked the Pita Soon checkpoint in the south of Chitral city and killed a security man identified as Abdul Ghafoor. They also kidnapped three security agents, grabbed their weapons and took them to Nuristan in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) has taken strict security measures at the Chitral- Afghan border to avert a similar incident, especially at a time when the whole country is on high alert.

Rahmatullah Wazir, Chitral district coordination officer, hopes things will remain under control and says the settled areas of the district remain safe.

The armed attack, he says, took place at the border with Afghanistan, some three hours’ drive from Chitral town.

'I went there to attend the funeral of the martyred border guard. Believe me, it was no easy ride,' he said.

Wazir said the Chilimjusht festival will take place and there are no plans to call it off. No doubt security would be a major concern, he said, adding that the local government is coordinating with army and intelligence authorities to ward off any untoward incident.

Azeem Khan, a college student and resident of Garam Chashma area in the district, says they used to laugh at allegations that bin Laden was hiding or last spotted in Chitral.

'Today, I think it could be true if the world is to be believed. If he can live in Abbottabad then why not Chitral,' he said, though several foreign security experts doubt bin Laden reached Abbottabad via Chitral, Gilgit, Kalam or Swat.

Khan says it is not true that Chitral has never been on the security watch list. He said it is being monitored regularly and that there is a ban in place against the movement of explosive materials, even those required for business purposes.

He told IPS that people involved in the stone crushing industry have been buying explosives on the black market, as procuring it through legal means is next to impossible. He adds that it is very hard to secure bail for a person caught carrying explosives.

© Inter Press Service (2011) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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