Restoration of tourism in the northern regions, non-implementation of corona virus SOPs.

Restoration of tourism in the northern regions, non-implementation of corona virus SOPs.

If you somehow forget the last few months for a few moments, believe me there is no scene in Nathya Gali or Murree before that that reminds you that we are all still in the grip of a global epidemic.

These areas were open for tourism when tourists from all over the country flocked to the hilly areas and on Sunday more than 46,000 vehicles entered Nathia Gali area of ​​Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in two days two and a half lakh tourists turned here.

Most of the hotels were fully booked while the shops and restaurants were also packed.

There is no doubt that months of lockdowns and restrictions on maintaining social distance have been a difficult step for citizens. It makes sense for many people to go to tourist destinations as soon as the ban on tourism is lifted, but what could be the justification for not taking care of the basic SOPs?

The ban on tourism activities was lifted under the 'No Mask, No Tourism' policy, but now it is rare to see tourists in these places who are following the policy, mostly just now. Adhere to the nine masks.

The BBC team spent about ten hours on Sunday at Nathia Gali in the popular tourist destination of Murree in Punjab and Galyat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In those ten hours, barely ten people were seen wearing masks.

As far as maintaining social distance is concerned, how can two and a half lakh people in a small tourist spot cover a distance of only two meters or six feet or even one meter?

Murree and Nathia streets were so crowded that there was no place to sit.

Clouds fly with you on the beautiful bill-eating road of Nathia Gali. Enjoying the same scenery, many families are seen enjoying the roadside barbecue, there are many places called 'Monkey Points' where children are seen feeding the monkeys and riding horses.

After many months of watching such scenes, you will also like the fact that the colors that were worn out due to the corona virus have now been restored.

All this is good until you enter a restaurant, market or rest area, because the scenery here can turn any sensible person back.

I was tempted many times to see some kind of jewelery, beautifully embroidered shawls in Nathiya Gali Bazaar, why not do some shopping, but the crowds in these shops and on the street would stop me every time. The virus can be found for free with shopping.

However, more trouble came when we came up with the idea of ​​where to eat in this public gym.

The management had instructed that the restaurant would allow seating less than 50% of its total capacity. In other words, if a restaurant can seat fifty people, then only twenty-five people will be served at a time.

But even the owners of these restaurants, which reopen six months later, may be thinking of earning as much as they can, and tourists don't care about social distance or fear of the virus spreading.

It seems that restaurants have now doubled the number instead of halving it, contrary to government directives.

After searching, we finally reached a place where we managed to set up separate chairs from the crowd without masks and ate.

The big hotels here have SOPs imposed by the provincial governments, but there are no such arrangements at smaller hotels, restaurants and other picnic points.

In many places it was stated that one was not allowed to enter the hotel without a mask, but generally anyone who entered these places entered without a mask.

It should be noted that tourism activities were banned in mid-March, which was restored two days ago. An estimated Rs. 800 billion has been lost due to the closure of the tourism sector in Pakistan.

Earlier last month, a World Bank report estimated the direct damage from tourism to be about ً 4 billion, with nine million families expected to lose their jobs. The damage was not estimated.

Tourist destinations are now open to the public, but citizens and hotel management have also been instructed to strictly enforce SOPs.

Sardar Hassan, a local hotel manager, said the tourism ban had cost billions and destroyed not only hotels but all small and large businesses connected to it, but it was a "new normal". Must be followed, otherwise, like many other countries, a second wave may come here.

According to SOPs issued by the government, hotels must ensure that no one can enter a hotel or restaurant without a mask.

After the guests leave, the room they are using should be disinfected and not booked for the next 24 hours.

Bookings of up to three people per room are allowed. In addition, hand sanitizers should be provided while the number of dining areas should be halved.

On the other hand, restaurant owners have also been instructed to increase the distance between the tables and serve food to half the people at a time.

But most hotels and restaurants are not even talking about implementing these instructions.

Hassan Akhtar, owner of a hotel in Nathia Gali, told the BBC that he was trying to get customers to comply with the SOP, but that it was a difficult task. We can only tell them to wear masks, if they don't, we can't force it. "

Another shopkeeper, who did not even wear a mask, said the business had resumed after a loss of millions and did not know when the ban would be lifted.

"I say I should wear masks and tourists too. I haven't written it on the shop yet, but now I'm thinking of writing it! '