Jeep terminal being shifted from Saiful Muluk Lake

MANSEHRA: Authorities have begun relocating an illegally and haphazardly developed jeep terminal, shops and restaurants to a designated service area about a kilometre from Saiful Muluk Lake to protect its natural beauty and fragile ecology. The lake, situated 10,578 feet above sea level, is losing its natural charm due to unplanned construction of shops, eateries, and a terminal where jeeps are parked to transport tourists from Naran. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department has started relocating these facilities to a designated service area at least one kilometre from the lake to protect its water and surrounding environment from littering and pollution. 'We have undertaken this initiative to keep this heavenly place free from pollution and restore its natural environment, which has been affected by the construction of shops, restaurants and a jeep terminal along the lake,' Sub-Divisional Wildlife Officer, Saiful Muluk National Park, Abdul Rashid Tanoli told reporters. He said temporary shops and eateries were being established in the new service area under a conservation strategy. 'We will regularise these facilities and relocate them to properly designed structures in the new service area. Members of the indigenous community will also be issued licences to operate under standard operating procedures prescribed for recreational destinations,' he said. Mr Tanoli said hundreds of four-wheel-drive vehicles transported tourists to the lake during the peak season and were parked along its banks, damaging its natural beauty. 'We have cleared the parking area, which will be shifted one kilometre away from the lake. Walking tracks are also being developed around it, along with dozens of shelters to protect visitors from the sun and rain,' Mr Tanoli said. The business community in Kaghan Valley welcomed the move, saying unplanned construction, jeep parking and littering had marred the beauty of the lake and discouraged nature lovers from visiting it. 'The jeeps will now be parked in the designated service area, while shops and eateries will also be relocated to properly planned facilities, which could help restore the lake's beauty,' Hussain Deen, chairman of the hoteliers association, told reporters. He said it was encouraging that the wildlife department had taken the local community into confidence, adding that the initiative would benefit both residents and the business community in the valley. Mr Deen also appealed to visitors to avoid littering at Saiful Muluk Lake and its surroundings, which fall within the national park, to preserve its natural beauty and prevent environmental pollution. Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2026