A notification was issued by Deputy Commissioner Masood ur Rehman on Monday enforcing a 10 days ban on tourists entering the Neelam Valley. This decision caused a strong reaction from people affiliated with Tourism industry. They claimed this decision to be the worst manifestation of AJK’S government’s double standards.
According to the notification, the ban focuses on the major tourist attractions in the AJK region, and since Neelum Valley attracts the most tourists, the valley is specifically targeted under the new rules.
The notification further directed the officials involved, president of the guest houses association and the transport unions to make no bookings of vehicles and guest houses post 18th July.
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Bookings that are already made shall be cancelled. Those found violating the ban will face legal action. The ban was within less than 48 hours of two large political gatherings in the Valley.
Tourism industry has announced a protest against the government’s decision on 15th July.
Guest house owners have also complained that the government never objects when thousands of people callously attend political gatherings and disregard Covid19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which happen right under their nose but place a ban on private visitors, consisting of families that are highly likely to observe the precautions.
The guest house owners claim that they are also facing issues like paying rents of hotels, and salaries to workers. Many hoteliers have received the advance payments and they have used that money for bookings during this period.
They argue that if the bookings get cancelled now, the survival of business would become difficult.
#AJK Govt bans tourists from entering #NeelamValley in less than 48 hours of two huge political gatherings held in Neelum valley under the aegis of AJK’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.https://t.co/Tj46fGSeEI
— Naila Altaf Kayani (@NylaKayani) July 13, 2021
The government has not offered any support during these trying times, and they won’t even let the businesses run smoothly, complained many property managers.
A property manager claimed that long holidays like Eid have always helped his community earn well which helps with expenditures during lean periods. However, since the lockdowns began, just like other businesses the hotel business has been affected. He claimed that summer is also the peak time for these businesses as they received their maximum revenue during the summer season, however this year has not been good to them.
Meanwhile, the NCOC has warned that there are high chances of the virus spreading on the occasion of Eid ul Azha as the people are violating the SOPs, and the high transmission rate of the Delta variant which is predominately taking over the world.
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Reportedly, there is a chance that more tourists attraction places are shut down as the number of positive cases are going up in the country again.