Located in the North-West-Frontier-Province of Pakistan, close to the Pak-Afghan border, the Swat Valley was once called the country's 'Mini Switzerland'. Owing to the presense of lush green valleys, glacial lakes, gushing rivers and ice-capped mountains, it offered tourists the opportunity to revel in the tranquility of what was truly a piece of heaven.
Unfortunately, this previously peaceful valley has been making international headlines since 2006 because it serves as the breeding ground for the Taliban and their terrorist activities. Having gained support from the people of Swat on the basis of their common Pashtun ethnicity, the Taliban now pose a threat not just to the stability of the Swat Valley but to the security of Pakistan.
The Pakistan Army, after three years of futile fighting, retreated from Swat and the weak Pakistani government, under President Zardari, allowed for the imposition of Islamic Shariat law in February 2009. But this has hardly appeased the Taliban who are just 70 miles from Islamabad, the capital city. The international community's fears for stability in the region are feuled by Pakistan's nuclear capability. If the Zardari government collapses, the Taliban might seize control which essentially means nuclear power will fall into the hands of an extemist, dogmatic and violent terrorist organization.
Swat had a thriving economy based on eco-tourism till just a few years ago. Foreigners and locals alike would visit Swat for its glacial lakes, trout fishing and mountain climbing for extremely affordable prices. Most of the local Pashtuns were directly or indirectly employed by the tourism industry. The Pakistsn Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) had developed numerous holiday resorts in each of the tourist sites in the Valley which were very well maintained.
The Minitry of Tourism in Pakistan has now closed Swat to tourism because of the heightened security threat posed by the Taliban. One of the only affordable holiday destinations in Pakistan, the Swat Valley, is not even a shadow of what it used to be. Below are the main tourist towns in Swat.
MALAM JABBA
Surrounded by snow-capped mountains,, Malam Jabba was the only ski-resort in all of Pakistan. The mighty Karakoram range and black mountains surrounded the resort and offered excellent views.
KALAM
The pristine Swat river flows through Kalam. Numerous small restaurants dotted the river banks and were famous for serving trout, fresh out of the river.
MINGORA
Mingora is one of the busier towns with markets that sell pashmina shawls, gem stones, embroidered crafts etc. A few Buddhist carvings have also been discovered here.
SAIDU SHARIF
Saidu Sharif is the capital of the Swat Valley. It even has an airport because most tourists would make their first stop in Saidu Sharif and travel further by road.
BAHRAIN
Bahrain has bazaars worth exploring for their handicrafts. The locals' houses have carved wooden doors, pillars and balconies. These show a remarkable variety of decorative motifs, including floral scrolls and bands of ornamental diaper patterns almost identical to those seen on Buddhist shrines and quite different from the usual Muslim designs.
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