Nuristan attracts more tourists, faces lack of facilities

The provincial governor of Nuristan province Mohammad Ghafoor Malikzai, says that after the government in June this year designated the province as a national park to protect the environment and local culture now a large number of domestic and foreign tourists visit the province.

According to the local officials due to the increase in the number of domestic and foreign tourists, they are facing shortage of restaurants and residential areas.

“Unfortunately we are facing lack of restaurants for tourists but we are planning to build restaurants in the future,” said Malikzai.  

Green forests, historic sites, wildlife and the unique local customs and traditions are what led the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) to declare the province as a national park.

Local officials said that Parun city, the capital of Nuristan, is relatively safe in the eastern provinces.

Nuristan province in eastern Afghanistan due to the vicinity of the border with Pakistan, the Taliban have always tried to make this province insecure. But the police chief of the province Mohammad Sabir said, that the security of Nuristan is better than other provinces and the center of Nuristan province and the roads leading to it are safe.

Meanwhile, the police chief ensures the safety of tourists in the province.

“All the plans of the enemy have been thwarted by the police and the help of the local residents,” said Sabir.

However, the residents of Nuristan say that the declaration of Nuristan into a national park will play a significant role in the preservation of forests, historic sites and wildlife.

The residents also ask the citizens of the country to visit Nuristan province.