A man rides an inner tube on the piste at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. Atop the piste of Malam Jabba in Pakistan's once dangerous Swat Valley skiers schuss downhill, a new Chinese-built chairlift ferries tourists to the peak, and a luxury hotel is under construction to replace one torched by the Taliban. The Taliban declared skiing “un-Islamic” during their 2007-2009 reign of terror over Swat, but improved security in recent years has allowed ski tourism to re-emerge on Malam Jabba, a hill station in the Hindu Kush mountain range. Locals tout Swat as “the Switzerland of Pakistan”, with an international ski tournament held there in January. But the experience is uniquely Pakistani. Army checkpoints abound, while gun-toting policemen riding up the mountain flout chairlift signs warning: “No Smoking, No Weapons”. There is no apres-ski boozing as alcohol is banned, nor Swiss Raclette cheese, but lentil curry and deep-fried kebab patties make ample fuel for skiers. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A ski instructor stands on the front of skis to guide his student down the piste at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A man pulls his inner tube up the hill for his customer on the piste at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





Retired Malam Jabba engineer Akbar Ali skis down the piste at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A man rides the chair lift at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A man picks up a set of skis and boots at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





Customers and inner tube renters rest on the side of the piste at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





Policemen watch as a man rides an inner tube on the piste at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A boy sits in his chair as he waits for customers to rent skis at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A policeman walks on the edges of the piste at the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





Army personnel drive up to their base beside the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A man skis in the powder snow at the top of the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A man walks down the road from the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A general view shows a hotel under construction and the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)





A policeman stands guard at the base of the chairlift to the ski resort in Malam Jabba, Pakistan February 7, 2017. (Photo by Caren Firouz/Reuters)