Saiful Malook Lake deserted during Eid holidays amid COVID-19 travels' restrictions.

ISLAMABAD: Saiful Malook, a lake famous for fantasies and fairy tales in Upper Mansehra district, looked deserted during Eid holidays owing to effective travel restrictions imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The crystal clear greenish-blue water of the world famous Saiful Malook lake spread on 1.06 square miles having 113 feet depth and 3,224 meters height from sea level, which attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists, mountaineers and nature lovers during Eid days in the past, were almost empty this year due to travel restrictions imposed by the district administration to contain coronavirus.

Even its snow-clad mountains of Malika Perbat on East at Kaghan Valley, which take the visitors into a lap of peace and serenity in normal days, was looking deserted.

Named after Persian Prince, Saiful Malook, the lake is a main centre of attraction for foreign and domestic tourists during the summer season due to its pleasant weather and waterfalls emanating from nearby glaciers of Malika Parbat.

Noted Sufi poet, Mian Muhammad Bakhsh in his famous book "Fairytale of Saiful Malook" has narrated about Prince Saiful Malook and fairy princes Badriul Jamala during Malook's visit to the lake.

However, a handful of local residents were seen enjoying its mesmerizing natural beauty, greenish blue water, waterfall and pleasant atmosphere during Eid days.

Ali Abbasi, a local traveller, told APP that the famous lake had attracted an influx of foreign and domestic tourists during Eid days in the past but not this time due to travel restrictions.

He said the local travel and hotels industry in Naran and Kaghan, which was largely dependent on tourism, was adversally affected by coronavirus on Eid.

He said hotels, inns and restaurants enroute to awesome lakes of Ansoo, Lalusar in Kaghan, Dudipastar and Saiful Malook in Mansehra had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

"I visited many lakes in several countries but the gripping beauty and clean greenish-blue water of Saiful Malook has impressed me the most," Ali Khan, a local resident of Kaghan told APP.

"Saiful Malook and Ansoo lakes are my favorite tourists' places as their natural beauty always fascinates me to spend a few weeks in these spectacular scenic areas of Pakistan with my family especially during Eid days," he said.

He said coronavirus has affected the business of boat persons, who were charging a Rs 1,000 ticket from a tourist to explore the entire lake besides people associated with...