A large group of notables and locals on Wednesday lauded the Samsons Group of Companies for its billions of rupees investment to restore tourism and provide job opportunities to the youth in Swat valley.
Addressing a press conference, they said that the company started investing funds in the area in 2014 when no other investor was willing due to the security threats. They said the company has helped restore tourism in the area, adding that it restored chair lift, hotels and other facilities in Malam Jabba which in return attracted thousands of local and foreign tourists, providing jobs to thousands of local people.
The notables, including Saltanat Khan, Mian Jaan and Muhammad Zada, said that there are around 1,600 hotels in Swat valley and they all remained fully booked during the winter, contributing a handsome amount in the local economy and the country’s revenue through the taxes. They rejected the allegations leveled by individuals against the company that it has occupied land in the Green Valley, adding that all the locals were paid as per agreement with the company and the land was then handed over for commercial use. They said all legal documents of land transferred to the company are available and anybody can check those from the land revenue record in the district.
The notables said that some influential in the area are trying to incite locals in the area against the company, but they vowed to resist it fully. They said that a government committee has already rejected all the allegations regarding illegal occupation of land in Malam Jabba by the company. They said anybody can go to the court if they had any evidence of any illegality regarding the land use in and around the tourist spot.
The locals said that some protesters attacked the Green Valley in Malam Jabba after incitement which caused millions of rupees loss to the property, but the police failed to initiate any action against the culprits. They urged the government and police to maintain law and order in the area to ensure full protection to investors and businessmen who were helping revive the local economy and providing jobs to thousands of local skilled and unskilled workers.
