Mingora Swat - Mingora 6.38

Mingora (also spelled Mingawara or Mangora or Mingaora) (Pashto: مینګورہ) is the largest city in Swat District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at an altitude of 984 metres (3,228 ft)[1] and lies on the banks of River Swat about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Saidu Sharif, the present capital of Swat. As of 1998, the population of Mingora was about 175,000. The city was once a major tourist destination and was described by Queen Elizabeth as the "Switzerland" of the former Empire.[2] However with the rise of Taliban in Pakistan the tourist industry has suffered from clashes between the Taliban and the government. In March 2009 the city, like elsewhere in Swat, came under Taliban rule due to a peace agreement with the government. However the agreement quickly fell apart and in May 2009 government forces were engaged in fierce fighting with the Taliban to end their occupation of the city. The city is currently controlled by the Army.