Tourist operations in the Punjab salt range, Mirperi and other northern areas have been suspended due to heavy monsoon rain, landslides and an increase in cloud incidents.
Punjab Tourism Secretary Raja Jahangir Anwar said on Tuesday that climate change has seriously disrupted the tourism sector, causing substantial economic losses.
“National and international tourism has suffered,” he said. “The cable car service in Patriata was closed after one of its pylons collapsed during the torrential rains.” Over the past two days, Murrier’s tourist activities, Kallar Kahar, Chakwal lakes and other northern destinations have stopped completely.
Read: DG ISPR describes rescue work in the areas affected by floods
“A large number of local tourists from the Punjab and Sindh plains generally go to these destinations, but all of these activities have now stopped,” he said.
Despite the setbacks, Anwar stressed that tourism could not be abandoned. “Tourism cannot be abandoned due to climate change,” he said. “The Punjab government has allocated 33 billion rupees for new tourist attractions, the restoration of heritage sites and infrastructure improvements in the northern regions.”
He added that Mirree, Kallar Kahar and the range of salt were improved, while Fort Munro was being developed in a Hill bonus station.
Anwar also said that tourist facilities were activated in Rajanpur, Layyah and Multan. “We put a particular emphasis on the promotion of desert tourism in southern Punjab, especially in Cholistan,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) province made an opinion urging citizens to avoid traveling in the tourist points in the North and monitoring weather conditions before planning trips.
According to official figures, since June 2025, at least 162 people have lost their lives and hundreds have been injured in incidents related to the monsoon, especially in the range of salt and chakwal, where the clouds and sudden floods have caused a general devastation.
