ISLAMABAD:
Not so long ago, travelers venturing beyond Naran to Batakundi found themselves surrounded by bright green slopes, vast grasslands and mountains stretching endlessly towards the sky. But this landscape was changing, and quickly. Hotels, guesthouses and private villas gradually spread across the valley.
Where green spaces once defined the character of the place, concrete now asserts itself. Construction machines were roaring, building materials were piling up, and new, freshly developed properties were becoming a common sight in an area once loved for its quiet, natural beauty.
Hasrat Khan, who is the deputy commissioner of Balakot, a sub-division of Mansehra district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, said the KDA had recently intensified its efforts to combat unauthorized constructions and environmentally harmful developments in Kaghan Valley, particularly in Shogran, Naran, Kaghan, Battakundi, Jalkhad, Barwai and Kiss.
Naran continues to attract thousands of visitors every summer and remains one of Pakistan’s most sought-after tourist destinations. The town of Naran has always been the commercial heart of the valley. But Batakundi, a neighboring settlement, had, until recently, retained a quieter and less developed character. Visitors who remembered the area in 2019 spoke of only a handful of hotels that were active there. Now, just a few years later, dozens of hotels and guesthouses had been completed, and many more were still in various stages of construction.
Fukraj, a tourist who had visited Naran in 2023, said she remembered a surprising difference in temperature between Naran town and Batakundi. “When we arrived in Naran, the weather was surprisingly warm,” she recalls. “However, as we moved towards Batakundi, the temperature became noticeably cooler.” She said she has since seen numerous videos on social media showing the vast hotel construction in the area. She wonders whether such large-scale development could contribute to these environmental changes.
Sajida, a teacher who visited the valley in 2024, observed that environmental concerns extend beyond just construction. “We stayed in a hotel near Jheel Road and our room overlooked the lush green mountains,” she said. “However, construction debris could be seen scattered in different locations, while litter, including used diapers, was visible in several areas.” She felt that tourists themselves also played a role in environmental degradation when they did not dispose of their waste responsibly.
For some visitors, climate change and increasing commercialization had begun to diminish the valley’s charm. Tourist Zubaida, who visited Naran with her family every year, said she had decided not to go there this year. “Every year we plan a family trip to Naran,” she said, “but this year we are staying away due to the changing weather conditions.” She remembered their appreciation of the beauty of Batakundi, but noted that recent videos showed a proliferation of hotel construction.
Rising accommodation costs have also become a major concern for tourists. Saman, a student from Haripur, mentioned that her family was rethinking their annual visit due to soaring hotel rates. “Hotel prices have increased significantly over the years,” she noted. “Some three-star hotels charge rates comparable to those of luxury establishments.” She said many hotels advertised scenic views and charged higher prices, but visitors often found ongoing construction or obstructed views instead.
As a new tourist season begins, many are wondering how much development the valley can support before the natural beauty that has made it one of Pakistan’s most popular destinations begins to fade. For now, the mountains remain, but many visitors fear that if current trends persist, the verdant landscapes that define Naran and Batakundi could gradually give way to concrete and commercial expansion.
With the Mansehra-Kaghan-Naran-Chilas highway project expected to improve access to the region, tourism in the valley is expected to grow further in the coming years. However, visitors say development must be balanced with environmental protection to avoid the loss of the green, natural landscapes that have long defined the region’s appeal.
