The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government has banned seasonal hotels and other commercial ventures inside Deosai National Park for the upcoming tourism season.
A notification issued by the Forest, Parks, and Wildlife Department stated that no temporary hotels, guest facilities, or commercial outlets will be allowed to operate within the park limits this year.
Authorities noted that unregulated tourism-related businesses in the park have been contributing to pollution and habitat disturbance, and could accelerate ecological degradation if left unchecked.
Hotel owners and tourism operators have been instructed not to put up any accommodation or commercial setups in the area, and the government has warned that violations of the ban will invite legal action.
Deosai, a vast alpine plateau straddling Skardu and Astore districts at an average height of about 4,114 metres above sea level, is one of Pakistan’s most popular summer destinations.
The national park is known for its carpets of wildflowers, sweeping landscapes, and its population of rare Himalayan brown bears, earning it the nickname “Land of Giants.”
Earlier in September, singer Quratulain Balouch was injured after an encounter with a Himalayan brown bear during a camping trip in the park, an incident that led authorities to prohibit camping in parts of Deosai.
The park typically remains open to visitors from June to November, but the latest decision means tourists will now have to rely on facilities outside the park boundaries while the government prioritises conservation.