The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a state in South Asia, a part of the Indian sub-continent, and has a population in excess of 180,000,000 people which makes Pakistan the world's sixth largest nation. The area which is today known as Pakistan is heir to a rich and diverse history and has been home to many different cultures over a very long period and many of these cultures have left their mark for the edification of the present generation. The remains of the past folk, ancient and not so ancient, combined with the lavish endowments that Mother Nature has bestowed upon Pakistan makes the country a most worthwhile tourist destination. However, a cautionary note: the activities of militant Islamists in many parts of the country, some of which parts, like the Swat region and the North West Frontier Province, contain some of the country's best tourist attractions have made some destinations extremely dangerous for tourists. Indeed, even for locals, these areas are unsafe, so tourists should be very careful if they choose to visit.
Having said this, and given that risk is a natural consequence of living, the discerning tourist will find any number of destinations that justify a visit to this land of ancient and not-so-ancient civilizations and exquisite natural beauty.
If you are one for ancient civilizations, then you can't do better than visit Pakistan and check out the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, amongst others. It was the discoveries of these ruins that informed the world of the existence in antiquity of great urban civilizations in the Indus valley comparable to, and partly contemporaneous with, the great urban civilizations of the Tigris/Euphrates valley and the Nile valley.
Moving away from antiquity and nearer to our own times, but only somewhat nearer, you certainly should visit Chilianwala, in the Punjab, and have a look at the site on the Jhelum River, where Alexander the Great, in 326 BC, defeated the Hindu army under Porus, which victory laid Punjab and Sind open to the Greek conqueror.
Then, take a jump a few centuries into the future and enjoy to your heart's content some of the most exquisite architecture in the world; the brilliant works of the Mughals. Without leaving Lahore, Pakistan's undoubted centre of cultural excellence, the tourist finds him or her self exposed to some of the very best in Mughal architecture. The Shalimar Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built by the Emperor Jahangiar (ruled 1605-1627) as well as this ruler's mausoleum, built after his death by his wife; the Moti Masjid[1], the Sheesh Mahal, the Naulakha Pavilion, of the Lahore Fort and the Wazir Khan Mosque, built in the reign of Shah Jahan (ruled 1627-1658); as well as the Badshahi Mosque and the Almagiri gate of the Lahore Fort, built in the reign Aurangzeb (ruled 1658-1707), are some of the Mughal gems that adorn a city that was dear to the hearts of the rulers of that dynasty. But the profusion of Mughal pearls in Lahore must not lead us to assume that such pearls are not to be found in other parts of Pakistan. A visit to Sheikipura, not far from Lahore, for instance, will find the monument that Jahangiar built to his pet antelope, Hiran Minar, whilst a visit to Thatta presents the Mosque built by Shah Jahan and which is named for him.
But Pakistan is not all about archaeological and historical sites and buildings. If you're more of the outdoors type, then you ought certainly to visit one of Pakistan's famed Hill Stations and enjoy the majesty of the world's highest mountain range, the incomparable Himalayas. Pakistan is home to some of the world's highest peaks: the Ninga Parbat (8126 meters), the Gasherbrum (8068 meters), the Rakaposhi (7787 meters), the Tirch Mir (7690 meters), and, of course, K2, the second highest peak in the world at 8611 meters, are all Pakistani mountains and these peaks attract mountaineers and adventurers from every corner of the globe. Even if you have no intention of popping up to the summit of K2 or any of the other magnificent peaks, a visit between April and September is certainly a worthwhile venture.
No comments:
Post a Comment