By Fazal Khaliq
MINGORA: Hundreds of families from the plain areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have temporarily shifted to the upper parts of Swat to escape the rising temperatures.
Most of them have planned to stay put in Miandam, Madyan, Bahrain and Kalam until the end of Ramazan.
“We’d shifted to Kalam before Ramazan because the heat in our area was unbearable. Coming here has turned out to be a great relief from the rising temperatures as the weather here is very pleasant in the daytime and cold at night,” said Ibrar Khan of Hayatabad Peshawar.
Photo by Fazal Khaliq
He said he would stay in Kalam with family for two months.
“I’ve met members of more than 100 families from Peshawar here,” he said.
Many families spend time before and after sehr along the Swat River.
Sitting along a stream in Gayhel area of Kalam, some women said the scenic valley and the crystal clear and cold water gave them a feeling as if they’re in paradise.
“We have so many beautiful things around from small streams of gushing water to lush green meadows to cedar trees to mysterious mountains. This place is so beautiful that I wish to spend entire life here. It is no less than a paradise,” said Bushra Ali, a non-local, who has rented a house in Gayhel valley for three months.
In the evening, the bazaars of Bahrain and Kalam get crowded with shoppers, mostly tourists.
Photo by Fazal Khaliq
The shopkeepers say they’re happy to have a large number of customers during the summer season.
“From June to September, we have a very good business. The number of our customers grows 10 times during the period helping us earn more,” said shopkeeper Zareen Khan. The owners of hotels and houses used by tourists say what they earn during three months of the summer season is enough for the rest of the year.
“I have two houses and a small shop, which are the only means of my income. I rent out my houses to tourists, while my shop also sees higher sales due to the influx of tourists,” said Kashif Ahmad, a resident of Kalam.
The tourists praised local residents for friendly behaviour towards them.
