The Peace Skiing Gala at Maalam Jabba situated on
8700 feet high above sea on the top of the Karakoram mountain range will be commencing on March 5-8, 2013, Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Skiing Association Mati Ullah Khan told APP here on Sunday.
He said all arrangements in this connection has already been completed and expressed the hope that like in the past this year the event will be organized in befitting manners.
He said they are expecting good numbers of skiers from all across the country.
He said the accommodation in this connection has been arranged in the Tent age village and hopefully the event would also attract local as well as foreign tourists.
Malam Jabba is home to the only ski resort in Pakistan wherein the area also contains two Buddhist Stupas and six monasteries that are scattered around the resort.
The presence of the monuments at such a height indicates that the area has been inhabited for over 2000 years.
Two trekking trails are located near the Malam Jabba resort. The first passes through the Ghorband Valley and Shangla Top and starts about 18 km from the resort. The other trail passes through the Sabonev Valley and is about 17 km from the resort.
In late June 2008, the Malam Jabba Ski Resort was set on fire and destroyed after being closed for more than a year.
Residents said a large portion of the resort had been reduced to ashes and the militants also damaged chairlifts and a tower belonging to the meteorological department.
In May 2009 however the army started an offensive against the Taliban and retook the area.
The ski hill at the resort has now been rebuilt and is fully operational.(APP)