Switch off the television! Get distracted from the news channels. Forget about what Geo news tell you. See the real Pakistan!
Pakistan is not only about politicians fighting, people protesting
for the ever increasing inflation, shortage of resources, electricity
short fall… Pakistan is about beauty, aesthetics and an unlimited number
of beautiful places. From hottest deserts to the coolest mountain
peaks, greenest jungles to rocky roads, this country has it all…
The motive to introduce these places through Listedium is to change
the perspective of the people who think Pakistan is a dangerous place to
live in. When I was coming back to Pakistan from Spain, I invited my
professor to visit Pakistan someday. And what he replied was that he’s
scared to come to Pakistan. Although, I tried my best to entice him by
telling the Euro to Pakistani Rupee conversion rate and the fact that
he’ll find things much cheaper here. But even then, he was scared and
too reluctant to visit. So may be, this is also one such attempt to show
people what Pakistan is all about. =)
25) Khyber Pass
Khyber pass is a passage connecting
Pakistan and Afghanistan. Its starting point is Peshawar, Pakistan and
it ends up opening in Kabul, Afghanistan. Cutting through the Hindukush
mountains, this passage is of main importance because of trading
purposes.
24) Jinnah Mausoleum
Jinnah Mausoleum or Mazar e Quaid is a memorial and resting place for
the founder of Pakistan, Quaid e Azam (Father of the Nation) Muhammad
Ali Jinnah. The mausoleum was fully consutrcted in 1960s and is situated
in Karachi. After every 20 minutes there is a ceremonial position shift
of the honor guard, and every 4 hours changing of the guard. This is a
must see if you are into military formalities. The mausoleum houses a
museum too, where different artifacts such as bedroom furniture, guns,
swords, pens, etc are found.
23) Minar e Pakistan (Minaret of Pakistan)
Minar e Pakistan is a historical landmark that was built as a
memorial for the Pakistan Resolution in 1968 in Lahore. The tall minaret
stands to represent a mix of Mughal and modern architecture. This
minaret is housed with an elevator to take the visitors up the 62 meter
heighted tower. Views of the city Lahore can also be seen from the top.
22) Port Fountain
Karachi has the third tallest fountain in the world. Situated next to
the Oyster Rocks, Karachi harbor, this fountain raises water upto 620
ft.
21) Shah jahan Mosque
Shah Jahan Mosque is situated in Thatta and is considered as a master
piece of Mughal architecture. The mosque was built in 1647 AD on the
orders of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor. The mosque has 93 domes and 33
arches and no minarets.
The mosque has been designed with Turkish art work with beautiful
mosaic tiles and floor work. The mosque is a worth visiting place in
order to realize the design aesthetics of the Mughal Emperors.
20) Wagha Border
Wagha Border is the border between India and Pakistan connecting
Lahore, Pakistan with Amritsar, India. This place is known for the Wagha
Border Ceremony and should be visited before sunset as the ceremony
starts at that time.
19) Karachi beach
Karachi is not only about tall buildings, market places, buzzing
traffic horns… The densely populated city Karachi is blessed with a
range of beach spots where people can go and enjoy a calm holiday. These
places are an oasis of serenity amidst the bustling city.
Although these beaches have been well polluted by the industrial
waste but still there are some virgin spots where people can enjoy and
have a sense of calm. Some of the well known beach spots in Karachi are:
Seaview, Cape Monze, Clifton Beach, French Beach, Gadani, Hawke’s Bay,
Manora Island, Paradise Point and Sandspit Beach.
18) Makli Graveyard
Makli necropolis is one of the largest in the world. The graveyard is
situated a few kilometers away from Thatta. It is believed to be the
resting place of over 125,000 rulers and saints. This is one of the
sites in the World Heritage list.
The major attractions of the site are the unique engraved
inscriptions on the graves. It is one of the most stunning
archaeological sites in Pakistan, covering an area of approximately 15
square kilometers.
17) Ziarat
Ziarat is the capital of Ziarat district in Balochistan. It is a very
good family resort place and offers a number of tourist attractions
such as the Juniper forest, Jinnah’s Ziarat residency and a small dam.
Ziarat is famous for the variety of fruits mainly cherries and apples. A
must visit place in summers as the weather becomes really pleasant.
16) Gwadar Bay
The newly constructed city Gwadar has the most speckles beaches in
Pakistan. Attempts are underway to develop the city so that a large
number of tourists are attracted. Gwadar bay is a haven for the beach
lovers around.
15) Mohen jo daro
Mohen jo daro is a sindhi phrase that means Mound of the Dead. It is
situated around 30 Kilometers from the city of Larkana. The site was
discovered in 1922. It is an archeological site which has the honor of
being one of the 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Southern Asia. It is
believed that Mohen Jo Daro was constructed back in 2600 BC and was one
of the major urban sites in that period.
http://www.mohenjodaro.net is a website containing all the necessary information.
14) Badshahi Mosque
Situated in the city of Lahore, Badhshahi Mosque was built in 1673.
Badshahi mosque has had the honor of being the world’s largest Mosque
from 1673 to 1986. Badshahi mosque has not made it to the list of UNESCO
World Heritage Sites but has been included in the tentative list for
UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
This extravagant structure stands firm in the hustling and bustling
city of Lahore. This site provides the visitors with a sense of calmness
and tranquility. The view of the mosque can be enjoyed from the
surrounding restaurants.
13) Lahore Fort
Lahore Fort, also called “
Shahi Qila” is a fort in the historical city of Lahore. The Fort is connected with the Badshahi mosque through
Alamgiri Gate.
The fort was built during the reign of Akbar in 1605. The design of the
fort is a pristine depiction of the Muslim architecture. It also
contains
Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace),
Naulakha Pavillion,
Diwan e Khaas,
Diwan e Aam and many other places to visit inside the fort.
12) Mall Road
Mall road, Murree is a haven for all the shopping maniacs. From
jewellery to bags, clothes to shoes, everything is available in a very
low price. You’ll find the cheapest stuff here. Good bargainers can
bargain upto half of the original price. A must visit place if you have
to buy gifts for family and friends.
11) Hanna Lake
Hanna Lake is an alluring picnic place, situated near the city of
Quetta. The lake has a vast variety of eye catching sights. The lake’s
water is turquoise in color which gives a good contrast with the
mountainous range around. You can take a boat ride or sit in the lake
side restaurant and sip
chai and enjoy the scenery.
A must visit place if you go to Quetta. This is the one of the biggest and most accessible tourist place in Balochistan.
10) Rani Kot Fort
Although neglected, Rani Kot holds the title for being the largest
fort of the world, with a circumference of about 26 Kilometers. It is
situated 90 kilometers from Hyderabad. It is a nomination for the World
Heritage site list. The history for the site is unknown.
9) Khewra Salt Mine
World’s second largest salt mine, located in Khewra. It is a major
tourist attraction with around 250,000 tourists visiting the place every
year. There’s a train that takes the visitors inside the mine. Inside
the salt mine, there are a number of replicas made with salt bricks of
major tourist attractions in Pakistan such as the Badhshahi Mosque,
Minar e Pakistan, Mall road of Murree etc.
8) Port Grand
Port grand is a newly constructed complex that has integrated
together food, fun, sightseeing and shopping. This complex is situated
in the biggest port city of Pakistan, Karachi. The complex depicts an
overall atmosphere of modernism along with serenity. Port grand has been
a blessing for the people of city of lights; Karachi. Port grand has
been dedicated to building an open eco-friendly environment, with
special focus on regeneration.
7) Hingol National Park
The largest national park in Pakistan, located in the Makran coast in
Balochistan. This national park covers part of the three districts of
Balochistan namely: Gwadar, Lasbela and Awaran. Balochistan has a number
of mud volcanoes and this park has a few of them. This park also
covers a large area where the Hingol river can be seen and thus this
park supports a significant diversity of bird and fish. Hingol National
Park is known to support at least 35 species of mammals, 65 species of
amphibians and reptiles and 185 species of birds. Some 250 plant species
were recorded in the initial surveys including 7 yet undescribed
species. [source: Wikipedia]
6) Pir Sohawa
Pir Sohawa is the most visited place in Islamabad. It is located at
an elevation of 5000 ft. It is located in a picturesque valley giving an
excellent sight of the capital city. The place has a number of
restaurants, where visitors can enjoy the food and the view along. This
place will provide the visitors a view of the urban city on one side and
as they turn their head on the other side, they’ll have a scenic view
of the jungles and trees on Margalla hills.
5) Attabad Lake
Also known as the Hunza Lake, situated in the Hunza Valley was
created as a result of the landslides in January 2010. It is one of the
biggest artificially created lakes of Pakistan.
4) Gorakh Hill Station
Gorakh is a hill station situation in the Dadu district in the
province of Sindh. Situated at a height of 1,734 meters, is the only
hill station in the province of Sindh. This is a hill station which is
being developed at the moment. Though visits are possible but there is a
need of proper hotels / motels in the area. This is the only place
where it snows in winters.
3) Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad is the capital of Azad Kashmir. The city lies in the
North of Pakistan. Apart from the promising sceneries and beautiful
valleys, the city is home to two historical forts: the Red Fort (also
known as the Chak Fort) and the Black Fort.
People from the South visit Muzaffarabad in summers to escape away from the heat and enjoy the pleasant weather.
2) Lake Saif ul Malook
Lake Saif Ul Malook is quoted as “Heaven on Earth” by the people who
visit this magical place. It is located in the Kaghan Valley near the
city of Naran. It is known to be one of the highest situated lakes in
Pakistan.
Visitors can reach the place by jeeps in summer season, however due
to intense snow falls in winters; this place can only be reached through
3-4 hours of trekking.
1) Concordia
The most beautiful place on Earth, Concordia, heart of the Karakoram
range in Pakistan. Concordia is home to four of the world’s fourteen
‘Eight-Thousanders’. It is the best place for mountain hikers. The place
is considered to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The
sight provides breathtaking views of a number of notable peaks of
Pakistan, such as the Godwin Austin, Gasherburn I, Broad Peak and
others.
