What a tragedy for the people and their families....I was seriously considering a trip to Northern Pakistan as well....I guess I'll have to put it off by a few years now.
11
anonymous
Very sad news indeed. I was there 6 months ago and my guide was already then worrying the declining security and its effect on the tourism industry. I hope it's not the end to tourism in the Northern Areas.
12
qiblah
>I have been telling prospective foreign tourists not to worry while travelling in the northern areas as tourists are not targetted and it's relatively safe to travel. But I will not say that anymore.
Good. Each to their own, but it is my approach never to say to anyone that somewhere is fine, wherever is being asked about, because an awfull lot of people are looking for cast iron guarantees, and sometimes also looking to secure someone to point a finger of blame at if something goes wrong later ("You said it was safe" etc) and they survived to play that game. I apply this just as much to say somewhere like Thailand, as I would about Afghanistan. I'm all for people fully informing 'themselves' about an area in advance, looking at incident history and then making that final call themselves about whether to go or not. Anything else is wide open to people claiming to be 'victims'. Rather like Egypt's Sinai, the quieter less populated areas that seem far removed from hot zones elsewhere in the country, tend to be the perfect targets.
13
anpijola
This is really sad. Feel sorry for these trekkers and their families.
Why would they target these trekkers? What have they achieved except killing off tourism in this area?
15
qiblah
Bali certainly suffered for a long time, but then again it bounced back dramatically and is now selling more magic mushrooms, knock off Ciallis and over priced food and drink than ever before :D (an attempt to lighten things up about the recent tragedy in Pakistan) . Somehow, the more sane will always prevail, but Pakistan is different in the sense that the attackers were not 'outsiders'. Rather like in Afghanistan, somebody may have a guard with them in the Northern Areas of Pakistan and never be 100% sure if that person has been payed to lure you into a trap and look the other way at the right time.
17
Giora
I felt sick in my stomach reading this news. The BBC's reporting 9 tourists killed, 2 Chinese, 1 Lithuanian, 5 Ukranians, and a Nepali, and the absurd Taliban statement that the attack was in response to US drone strikes. I imagine this incident will have a significant effect on travel in the Northern Areas, but for the time being my thoughts are with friends and family of the victims, as well as the victims themselves. What a tragedy, to be killed as a result of such barbarous violence in one of the most beautiful and calm places on earth.
18
merantau
Sad for those who lost their lives and for their families. Sad for the locals who depend on tourism to support their families. The reality is that these religious zealots, who want to turn the clock back 1400 years, have flourished in Pakistan owing to the weakness of the state and the complicity of some elements of the state. People have made reference to Bali. It's worth recording that the Bali Bombing brought Indonesian and Australian anti-terrorist agencies together and ushered in a level of unprecedented cooperation. Terrorists have been hunted down ruthlessly - Hambali, Dulmatin, Nur Mohammed Top, Iman Patek, all captured or killed, Jemiah Islamia effectively castrated, it's ethnically Arab leader Abu Bakar Bashir jailed for 15 years. Contrast with Pakistan:.Osama bin Laden living for years in Abbotabad, a stone's throw from a major military base. Draw your own conclusions. The doctor who helped locate bin Laden jailed for treason, I believe. It's hard to believe, isn't it?
19
conmel
The Express Tribune is now reporting that the attack didn't take place in Fairy Meadows, but rather "in Buner Nallah near the base camp" - http://tribune.com.pk/story/567190/ten-tourists-shot-dead-at-fairy-meadows/
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