Ski resorts in Pakistan at Malam Jabba and Naltar...intl' skiers stunned by natural beauty

N.Siddiqui · Sep 9, 2017

Foreign skiers at a skiing championship held on Malam Jabba's slopes were left stunned by the hill station's ethereal beauty, with some calling it "a skier’s paradise" and others honouring it as "one of the most beautiful slopes in the world".

The 'Malam Jabba International Alpine Ski Cup', held between January 26 to February 3, 2017, marked the first international ski championship held at Malam Jabba in the hill station's history.

Sixty skiers — 50 men and 10 women — from nine countries, including Pakistan, Morocco, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Greece, Afghanistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Tajikistan, participated in the championship.

International skiers smile for the camera.

A chairlift in Malam Jabba.

A view from the top of the skiing course. ─ Photo by author

A skier poses for a photograph

Chairlifts run along the skiing course.

A skier takes on the course.

A skier crosses the finish line.

A skier leaves a spray of snow in his wake

A skier poised to take on the slope.

Onlookers watch a skiier.

Malam Jabba is blanketed in snow.

Skiiers get ready to take to the slopes as fresh snow falls.

Local skiiers stand at the foot of the slope.

Flags of participating countries hoisted at the hill station.

N.Siddiqui · Sep 9, 2017

DAWN article here.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1313291

The most important message here is that this very Malam Jabba and the main resort was destroyed by the Talibans earlier...now reclaimed and reconstructed with decimation of those elements.

The organisers of the championship said that the successful event proved that Pakistan and Swat valley were not only highly beautiful, but also peaceful.

"We have shown the world that Pakistan is one of the most beautiful and safe countries now. Tourists from across the world can come and can enjoy the scenic beauty and hospitality of the people here," said Air Commodore Shahid Nadeem, one of the organisers of the event.

"This year, Naltar [another popular destination for skiers] saw very little snow, and it is also very far, so we shifted the ski events to Malam Jabba. It is good to know that we now have two international standard ski slopes and we can hold events at both sites," he added.

Naltar Ski resort, Pakistan in Gilgit Baltistan, another ski resort 60 km from Gilgit