The popularity of Ice Sports in Northern Pakistan

Ice sports such as snowboarding, skating, skiing, and ice hockey have become popular amongst the youths of northern Pakistan, Swat, Chitral, and Gilgit Baltistan.
Malam Jabba is a famous skiing resort where international Ice Sports are organized annually. Last year, the skiing event attracted reputed international players.
Madaklasht, a heavily wooded valley to the southeast of Lower Chitral, has also become a point of attraction for tourists, adventurists, and lovers of snow sports and skiers. Last year, the honorable High Commissioner of Canada along with international skiers attended the event. This year the event will be organized in February and will attract national and international participants, skiers, and tourists.

The Canadian High Commissioner also attended the Ice Hockey event in Booni, the headquarter of Upper Chitral and Laspur valley to the northeast of Chitral valley.
Recently a 5-day International ice hockey event was organized in district Hunza, Gilgit. A total of 20 teams of ice hockey participated. The trophy went to the Altit SCARF team, which became the national champion defeating the Ghulkin Winter Club 2-0. The five-day national ice sports competitions had started in Gulkin on Jan 18. Skardu is another beautiful venue where exploration of the potential of Ice Hockey is underway.

With the promotion of ice sports, we stand a good chance to attract winter tourists. What is required is to focus on improving tourism-related infrastructure and services and protect the natural biodiversity and fragile ecology of the area by protecting from the adverse impacts of tourism.