Daily Times

“Visit to Pakistan? It’s too dangerous.” But, how can one judge the situation without actually coming here?

Pakistan is not all that the news channels and newspapers portray it as. There’s a lot more to it apart from the terrorism, politics, and all sorts of other problems and the arguments. You must have had at least one person say the following to you when you asked him/her to visit Pakistan: “Visit to Pakistan? It’s too dangerous.” But, how can one just judge the situation without actually coming here? It isn’t as bad as it is portrayed to be. And, so what if Pakistan is facing problems? No country is problem-free.

So if anybody plans on giving this country a visit, here’s a list of places that must be seen. Some of them we’ve heard of before while some of them quite not as yet.

Lake Saif-ul-Malook: This beauty is located at the northern end of Kaghan Valley. It is in the north-east of Mansehra Division of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Not only do the mountains that surround it make the place beautiful, but their reflection in the lake is extremely breathtaking! Summers are a good time to go here. However, in the winters, it can take quite long to travel down this path and sometimes the jeeps that are used aren’t a good option keeping in mind the slippery roads.

Concordia: This Mountaineer’s paradise is located in the extreme north of Pakistan along the borders of China. Pakistan bears five of the tallest 14 mountain peaks of the world, and four of these can be seen from Concordia.

Deosai: Referred to as the ‘land of giants’, this beauty is situated in the Astore District of Gilgit-Baltistan. It is on the boundary of Karakorum and the western Himalayas. It is home to various kinds of flowers, countless species of animals, including the brown bear and the snow leopard. It is also the highest plateau in the world. So if you are a big fan of wildlife in Pakistan, this place can certainly not be missed.

Kalash Valley: Resting in the Chitral District, this heaven is home to the Kalash tribe. The latter construct their homes with logs on the hill sides. The valley is not only famous for its beauty but also its colorful lifestyle, culture and festivals.

Shandur Top: Located in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Chitral area, Shandur Top is thought to be the highest polo ground in the world. Although the snow keeps the place covered in the winters, Shandur Top turns into a lush green scenery in the summers. Every July, the Shandur Polo Festival is held here and serves as an attraction to the locals. It is difficult to get here in the winters considering the heavy snowfall and slippery tracks, but in the summers the visitors use their jeeps to reach it.

Gorakh Hill Station: Did you know that the province of Sindh has its own hill station? All you have to do is travel to Dadu to see it. It is Sindh’s highest point and lies on the border of Sindh and Balochistan. Although the roads to this place are in poor condition, but when one reaches Gorakh Hill Station, the journey is definitely worth the wait.

Qila Rohtas (Fort Rohtas): The historical garrison fort is located near Jehlum, Punjab. It was built on the orders of Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri (1539-45 AD) to serve as a huge fortified base for military operations. Rohtas Fort has a total of 12 gates, all of them built in Ashlar stone. The fort is an example of masculine architecture. Qila Rohtas was declared a World Heritage Site in 1997. This spot is heaven for the history lovers.

Tharparkar: This is a desert, and obviously very different from the rest of Pakistan. Here, tourists not only get a chance to see hills of sand, but also experience life in mud houses with camels drifting around. Thorny bushes and cactus plants can be seen everywhere in the desert. Regardless of the heat during the day, the nights are the best as they are calm and cool. It is always nice to see how people in different climates and landscapes are living their lives.

Hingol National Park: This is one of the largest national parks in Pakistan. It rests on the Makran Coast in Balochistan. The topographical features vary from barren forests in the north to cooler regions in the west that receive regular rainfall. The park acts as home to different plants and animals. Hingol is known to support at least 35 species of mammals, 65 species of amphibians and reptiles and 185 species of birds.

Pir Sohawa: This tourist spot stands on the Margalla Hills of the capital. It is admired for not just the magnificent view but the leisure walks. It is an ideal place for picnics, enjoying the breeze and witnessing a breathtaking view from an elevation of about 5000 feet. In the deep valleys of Pir Sohawa, are thatched mud houses and along the road are some restaurants. After monsoon rains the jungles in the hills of Pir Sohawa turn lush green.

We are free to celebrate our liberty and independence in full swing, as well as live to the fullest. Here’s to being proud of our homeland, and enjoying some of the gorgeous and most God-gifted heavenly places on Earth.

The writer is a Web Editor and content writer at ZaiqaTV, Daily Times

Published in Daily Times, November 4^th 2017.