Daud Khattakis the first reporter for a British paper to enter Swat Valley, Pakistan, since the rebels who hold it agreed a ceasefire. He finds a hell-hole of bodies and ruin.
IN the former mountain resort of Malam Jabba, where skiing thrived when the surrounding Swat Valley was an international attraction, one can still see the remnants of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation’s flagship hotel. The building was blown up by the Taliban because it was being used for “un-Islamic activities”.
Hundreds of other hotels in the valley have been destroyed or forced to close after threats from the militants.
“We used to charge 1,200 to 3,000 Pakistani rupees [£10.50 to £26] for a room per night. Now we are renting rooms for 200
IN the former mountain resort of Malam Jabba, where skiing thrived when the surrounding Swat Valley was an international attraction, one can still see the remnants of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation’s flagship hotel. The building was blown up by the Taliban because it was being used for “un-Islamic activities”.
Hundreds of other hotels in the valley have been destroyed or forced to close after threats from the militants.
“We used to charge 1,200 to 3,000 Pakistani rupees [£10.50 to £26] for a room per night. Now we are renting rooms for 200
IN the former mountain resort of Malam Jabba, where skiing thrived when the surrounding Swat Valley was an international attraction, one can still see the remnants of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation’s flagship hotel. The building was blown up by the Taliban because it was being used for “un-Islamic activities”.
Hundreds of other hotels in the valley have been destroyed or forced to close after threats from the militants.
“We used to charge 1,200 to 3,000 Pakistani rupees [£10.50 to £26] for a room per night. Now we are renting rooms for 200 rupees but nobody is visiting,” said Zahid Hussain, the manager of a luxury hotel which has officially shut down.
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My Comment: If the Taliban are successful in over running Pakistan, what the Province of Swat looks like today is what the entire country will become if these thugs should be successful in consolidating their power..
Hundreds of other hotels in the valley have been destroyed or forced to close after threats from the militants.
“We used to charge 1,200 to 3,000 Pakistani rupees [£10.50 to £26] for a room per night. Now we are renting rooms for 200 rupees but nobody is visiting,” said Zahid Hussain, the manager of a luxury hotel which has officially shut down.
Read more ....
My Comment: If the Taliban are successful in over running Pakistan, what the Province of Swat looks like today is what the entire country will become if these thugs should be successful in consolidating their power..