South Asia Investor Review

Large numbers of Pakistanis  headed north  for respite from summer heat during Eid ul Fitr holidays last week. Tens of thousands went to Swat using the newly built Swat Expressway while others chose even cooler temperatures in the heights of the Karakoram mountain via the improved Karakoram Highway. Karakoram Highway Some of the preferred tourist destinations included Hunza, Astore, Fairy Meadows, Neelum Valley, Swat and Kumrat. In addition to using tents in camping areas, many tourists found accommodations in public rest houses ordered opened by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Fairy Meadows near Nanga Parbat in Gilgit Baltistan Swat Expressway: Over 60,000 vehicles used the expressway to enter Swat Valley over Eid holidays, according to local officials as reported by  Pakistani media . It's a far cry from early 2009 when the  Taliban appeared to be in control of Pakistan's Swat valley , and the US politicians and international media were deeply concerned about the  ...

In recent years, militant groups in the beautiful Swat valley , led by radical cleric Maulana Fazlullah, have been attacking and killing civilians as well as security forces in scenic Swat. In some 60 villages, the militants have set up a de facto "parallel government" with Islamic courts imposing sharia law. The region is effectively under militant control despite the presence of 20,000 Pakistani troops. Local opponents of the militants have been harshly critical of Pakistani civil society for its lack of concern for their plight as well as critical of the military and provincial government for their ineffective measures for controlling the tide of militancy. Media reports indicate that the Taliban are enforcing a complete ban on female education in the Swat district. Some 400 private schools enrolling 40,000 girls have been shut down. At least 10 girls' schools that tried to open after the January 15, 2009 deadline by the Taliban were blown up by the militants in the to...