Daily Times

We all are very much clear in our thoughts that preserving nature is one thing but appreciating it is also important.

There is so much beauty all around us to see, touch, and hear.

Nature is so miraculous because it is always changing.

No matter how many times you look at something, it is always different.

Lab-e-Mehran, the park with a walkway along the bank of the river is a famous getaway for the citizens of Sukkur, Sindh. On a regular day, one is likely to find families gathered around food stalls or enjoying a boat ride. Lab-e-Mehran is very beautiful and an eye catching place for enjoyment and refreshes you on visiting it. The atmosphere of this place is extra ordinary and full of natural beauty. It is located in the renowned city of Sukkur that is also called Bandar Road. The park is one such place, which has gathered a lot of public attention ever since its establishment.

This park was built at a cost of Rs 120 million in the duration of 1962-1963, as per the official data, and is still under development. There is a separate family area with a small hotel, which has a boat-riding facility. The garden has many beautiful plants. One can consider it as a main visiting place in Sukkur city as people are hanging out and especially women and children who are sitting in groups under trees and enjoying the beautiful sights of the sun setting over the gigantic river. Moreover, the profusion of trees and shrubs and the habitat they provide presents ample opportunities for nature lovers and bird watchers. Amazingly, majority of the trees, are over a 100 years old, whisper their secrets.

Every year, traditional festivals are organised by the government in Lab-e-Mehran for the general public and food stalls and children’s fun activities are also arranged, so that people can enjoy and can feel relaxed without fear of being harassed by hooligans.

If there is a city in Sindh that is culturally famous, renowned and admired both nationally and internationally it is well and truly the gorgeous city of Sukkur. Indeed, the District of Sukkur is blessed with the River Indus and many historical monuments.

No matter how many times you look at something, it is always different. Lab-e-Mehran, the park with a walkway along the bank of the river is a famous getaway for the citizens of Sukkur, Sindh. On a regular day, one is likely to find families gathered around food stalls or enjoying a boat ride

However, the city reflects the traditions and architecture of the British regime, as the city has flourished a lot during the British rule. The constructions of barrages and firm railway roads have made Sukkur as a point of economic threshold and bureaucracy in Sindh.

The district administration should develop Lab-e-Mehran and offer more recreational facilities to the families. The government should set up all the necessities that are needed for beautifying this park to attract tourists on visiting Sukkur to spend their vacations. For doing this, I personally believe that a serious movement has to be initiated to restore Sukkur’s heritage.

If this step is not initiated then future generations will not have the natural things to enjoy and there will come a day when they would only get to read about it in papers. These places like Lab-e-Mehran exhibit the glory of Sukkur and are part of our cultural heritage.

The writer is a social and political activist based in Lahore and can be reached at salmanali088@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, September 19^th 2017.