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Embassy of Pakistan Ring Road, Off Hadda Road P.O. BOX 2848 Sana'a, Republic of Yemen Phone: 00967-1-248812-13-14 Fax: 009671-248866 Email: info@pakyemenembassy.com Website: www.pakyemenembassy.com |
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About PakistanTOURISM:
Pakistan’s main attractions include adventure tourism in the Northern Areas, cultural and archaeological tourism as found in Taxila, Moenjodaro, Harrappa, and early Muslim and Mughal heritage at Multan, Lahore, Thatta, Peshawar and Swat
Provinces of PakistanPakistan has four Provinces and they are :
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Situated on the east bank of the Ravi River, Lahore is a very old city. Legend traces its origin to Loh, the son of Rama Chandra, the hero of the Ramayana, but history records that it began as a dependency of the 8th century AD Hindu ruler, Lalitiditya. In the early 11th century it came under Muslim rule and evolved as a centre of Islamic culture and learning as well as trade and commerce. In the 13th century it was depopulated and razed to the ground by the Tartar-Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan. Lahore was a cultural and intellectual centre during both the Mughal and British eras, but it is the diversity and contrast of the different sections of the city which make Lahore interesting.
Badshahi Mosque
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The Imperial or the Badshahi Mosque is across the courtyard from Alamgiri Gate of the Lahore Fort. The Mosque, which is made up entirely of red sand-stone, was built by Emperor Aurangzeb, the last of the great Mughals, in a record time of two and-a-half years.
Minar-e-Pakistan
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Minar-e-Pakistan is a new landmark in Lahore and stands in the Iqbal Park to commemorate the date when a resolution was passed there in 1940 demanding the creation of separate homeland for the Muslims of South Asian sub-continent. The Minar is a blend of Mughal and modern architecture. The Minar is about 60 meters tall.
Shalimar Gardens
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Three miles east of Lahore are the famous Shalimar Gardens laid out by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan in 1642 AD. The Gardens are spread out in typical Mughal style and are surrounded by high walls with watch-towers at the four corners. Originally, the gardens were spread over seven ascending terraces, but only three remain now which cover an area of about 42 acres. The brick-work of the floors of the three terraces have been repaired according to their original designs which differ on all three terraces. There is a marble pavilion underneath with water flows and cascades down over a carved, marble slab creating a waterfall effect. Across the waterfall is a marble throne. At the end of the second terrace is a beautiful structure called Sawan Bhadon, a sunken tank niches on its three sides. Water cascades down from it in sheets in front of the niches, producing the sound of falling rain.
Museums
Lahore Museum
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Bahawalpur
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Bahawalpur is 889 km from Karachi. The founder of the state of Bahawalpur was Nawab Bahawal Khan Abbasi I. The Abbasi family ruled over the State for more than 200 years (1748 to 1954).
Noor Mehal is one of the three palaces that attracts tourists. Bahawalpur is also known for its distinctly embroidered slippers and shoes and the filigree pottery. It has a marble mosque in the Fawara Chowk and a few British buildings like the Science College. Bahawalpur has a modest museum with a fine collection of coins, medals, postage stamps of former State of Bahawalpur, manuscripts, documents, inscriptions, wood carvings, camel skin paintings, historical models and stone carvings. All the pieces date back to the Islamic and the pre-Islamic period.
Multan
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About 966 km from Karachi, and more or less right in the centre of the country, lies the ancient city of Multan. Multan, the 'City of Pirs and Shrines,' is a prosperous city of bazaars, mosques, shrines and superbly designed tombs. It is also a city of dust, summer heat and beggars. It has a long history. Alexander the Great added it to his list of Indus conquests. In 641 AD Xuang Tzang found it 'agreeable and prosperous' - Mohammad Bin Qasim was the next to conqueror Multan in 712 AD. Mahmud of Ghazni invaded in 1006, Timurlane in 1398. In the 16th century it was the Moghuls turn, followed by the Sikhs in 1752 and the British in 1849. The old city has narrow colorful bazaars full of local handicrafts and narrow winding lanes. There are many places of historical, cultural and recreational interest in the city.
Harappa
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This was the first of the Indus Valley Civilization sites to be discovered, but in size and condition it is inferior to Moenjodaro. Located 186 km south-west of Lahore, Harappa is reached via Sahiwal, formerly known as Montgomery. Situated beside an earlier course of the Ravi River, Harappa was discovered in 1920-21, but through the ages the site was quarried for bricks and most of the buildings excavated so far are in poor condition.
The cemeteries discovered at Harappa confirm that the Indus Valley people buried their dead, many of them wearing finger rings, necklaces of steatite beads, anklets of paste bead, earnings and shell bangles. Copper mirrors, antimony rods, sheer spoons and vessels and urns of various shapes and size lay in the graves. Some of the female skeletons had anklets of tiny beads and girdles studded with some-precious stones.
Excavations have recalled evidence of some pre-Harappa material which shows strong affinity with the Kot Diji finds.
On display at the Museum are excavated materials, including terracotta toys, gamesman, jewelry, animal figurines and bronze utensils statuettes
SINDH
The province of Sindh has been designated after the river Sindh (Indus) which literally created it and has been also its sole means of sustenance. However, the importance of the river and close phonetical resemblance in nomenclature would make one consider Sindhu as the probable origin of the name of Sindh. Later phonetical changes transformed Sindhu into Hindu in Pahlavi and into Hoddu in Hebrew. The Greeks (who conquered Sindh in 125 BC under the command of the Alexander the great) rendered it into Indos, hence modern Indus.
The Indus valley civilization is the farthest visible outpost of archeology in the abyss of prehistoric times. The areas constituting Pakistan have had a historical individuality of their own and Sindh is the most important among such areas. The prehistoric site of Kot Diji in Sindh has furnished information of high significance for the reconstruction of a connected story which pushes back the history of Pakistan by at least another 300 years, from about 2,500 BC. Evidence of a new element of pre-Harappan culture has been traced here. When the primitive village communities in Baluchistan were still struggling against a difficult highland environment, a highly cultured people were trying to assert themselves at Kot Diji one of the most developed urban civilization of the ancient world that flourished between the year 25,00 BC and 1,500 BC in the Indus valley sites of Moenjodaro and Harappa. The people were endowed with a high standard of art and craftsmanship and well-developed system of quasi-pictographic writing which despite ceaseless efforts still remains un-deciphered. The remarkable ruins of the beautifully planned Moenjodaro and Harappa towns, the brick buildings of the common people, roads, public-baths and the covered drainage system envisage the life of a community living happily in an organized manner.
The earliest authentic history of Sindh dates from the time when Alexander the Great abandoned his scheme of conquest towards the Ganges, alarmed at the discontent of his soldiers. He embarked a portion of the army in boats, floated them down the Jhelum and the Chenab, and marched the remainder on the banks of the river till he came to the Indus. There he constructed a fleet, which sailed along the coast towards the Persian Gulf with part of his forces, under the command of Nearchus and Ptolemy, whilst Alexander himself marched through Southern Baluchistan and Persia to Seistan or Susa. At that time Sindh was in the possession of the Hindus, the last of whose rulers was Raja Sahasi, whose race, as is reported by native historians, governed the kingdom for over two thousand years. The Persian monarchs were probably alluded to, for in the sixth century BC Sindh was invaded by them, They defeated and slew the monarch in a pitched battle and plundered the province and then left. Eight years after his accession to the Persian throne, Darius I, son of Hystaspes extended his authority as far as the Indus. This was about 513 BC.
The Arab conquest of Sindh by Muhammad Bin Qasim in 712 AD gave the Muslims a firm foothold on the sub-continent. The description of Hiun Tsang, a Chinese historian, leaves no doubt that the social and economic restrictions inherent in the caste differentiations of Hindu society had however, gradually sapped the inner vitality of the social system and Sindh fell without much resistance before the Muslim armies. According to Al-Idreesi, the famous city of Al-Mansura was founded during the reign of Mansur (754-775 AD) the second Khalifa of the Abbasid dynasty. Khalifa Harun-al-Rashid (786-809 AD) was able to extend the frontiers of Sindh on its western side. For nearly two hundred years since its conquest by Muhammad Bin Qasim, Sindh remained an integral part of the Umayyad and the Abbasid caliphates. The provincial governors were appointed directly by the central government. History has preserved a record of some 37 of them.
The Arab rule brought Sindh within the orbit of the Islamic civilization, Sindhi language was developed and written in the naskh script. Education became widely diffused and Sindhi scholars attained fame in the Muslim world. Agriculture and commerce progressed considerably. Ruins of Mansura, the medieval Arab capital of Sindh (11 kms south east of Shahdadpur) testify to the grandeur of the city and the development of urban life during this period.
In the 10th century, native people replaced the Arab rule in Sindh. Samma and Soomra dynasties ruled Sindh for long. These dynasties produced some rulers who obtained fame due to judicious dispensation and good administration.
Sindh was partially independent and the scene of great disorders till late in the sixteenth century when it failed into the hands of Emperor Akbar, and for a hundred and fifty years the chiefs paid tribute, but only as often as they were compelled to do so, to the Emperor at Delhi. Later the Kalhora clan claiming descent from the house of Abbas and long settled in Sindh produced religious leaders of whom Main Adam Shah attained prominence in the 16th century. His descendants continued to gather large following and this enabled them to capture political power in the north western Sindh under the leadership of Mian Nasir Muhammad. This happened in the 2nd half of the 17th century. By the turn of that century, foundations of the Kalhora power were firmly laid in the northern Sindh under the leadership of Mian Yar Mohammad. During the reign of his son, Mian Noor Muhammad, lower Sindh with Thatta as its capital came under the Kalhora administration (1150 A.H).
Under the banner of Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur, the Balochis defeated the last Kalhora ruler Mian Abdul Nabi in the battle of Halani in 1782 AD. Talpur Amirs regained the parts of Sindh (Karachi, Khairpur, Sabzal Kot and Umar Kot) which the last Kalhora chief had conceded to the neighboring rulers. By eliminating the foreign interference, which had plagued the Kalhora rule, and by their essentially democratic way of governance, the Talpurs were able to take the people into confidence and thus achieved
Great many things within a short period of 60 years. They built up an excellent system of forts and outposts guarding the frontiers, extended the irrigation system, encouraged scholarly pursuits and educational institutions, and promoted trade and commerce internally as well as with the neighboring countries.
The British who came to Sindh also as traders became so powerful in rest of the sub-continent that in 1843 Sindh lost its independence falling prey to the British imperialistic policy. The Talpurs were defeated on the battlefields of Miani, Dubba and Kunhera and taken prisoners. The conquerors behaved inhumanly with the vanquished as they did with the Muslim rulers in India. Charles Napier who commanded the troops subsequently became the first Governor of the province of Sindh.
The British had conquered Sindh from their bases in Bombay and Kutch and their supporters were Hindus. Therefore, Sindh was annexed to the Bombay Presidency in 1843 and a constant policy to subdue the Muslim majority and to lionize the Hindu minority in Sindh was followed. Trade and commerce, Services and education became monopolies in the hands of the minority whom with the support of the rulers wrought havoc on Muslims. Within a few years forty percent of the Muslim land holdings passed on to the Hindu creditors. It was after a long struggle that the cause of Sindh was supported by the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah when he brought in his famous 14-points the demand of Sindh's separation from Bombay Presidency. H.H. Sir Agh Khan, G.M. Syed, Sir Abdul Qayyum Khan (NWFP) and many other Indian Muslim leaders also played their pivotal rule that was why the Muslims of Sindh succeeded in getting Sindh separated from the Bombay Presidency in 1936.
Karachi
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Karachi, the largest and the most populous city of Pakistan, presents an interesting and colorful combination of the old and new. The narrow twisting lanes and alleys of the old city throb with life alongside the wide roads and elegant modern buildings. Within the city, talented artisans with age-old skills produce handicrafts of exquisite beauty.
Karachi offers a variety of pleasant attractions: wide sunny beaches, deep-sea fishing, yachting, golf and horse racing all-year round. Its restaurants provide a wide choice of Pakistani and Western cuisine. Its markets and bazaar offer endless variety of exciting shopping including indigenous handicrafts, rugs and carpets of rare design and beauty.
Hyderabad
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Hyderabad, 164 km north of Karachi the second largest city in Sindh and one of the largest in Pakistan
Kirthar National Park
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A four hour drive north-east from Karachi, of the Super Highway takes the visitor deep into the heart of Kirthar National Park, a space that measures over 3,000 square kilometers in the Kirthar hills and is a good destination for a three day trip. October to February is the most comfortable...that is, coolest...time to go but the flowers bloom during the (relatively) wet monsoon in August.
Moenjodaro
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At Moenjodaro (Mound of dead) in the west bank of the Indus in Sindh one can see the remains of one of the earliest and most developed urban civilizations of the ancient world. Discovered in 1922, Moenjodaro was once metropolis of great importance, forming part of the Indus Valley Civilization. Now one can find the 4,000 years old brick ruins.
The Indus Valley Civilization flourished from 3,000 to 1,500 BC, making it contemporary with the ancient civilization of Egypt and Mesopotamia. At its height it comprised at least 400 cities and towns along the Indus and its tributaries, covering most of the present-day Pakistan and stretching north-west as far as modern Kabul and east as far as modern Delhi. The water ways were the main highways connecting the empire. Flat bottomed barges almost identical to those still use today plied the rivers from city to city. Few of the cities have been excavated
Sukkur
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North of Larkana the landscape becomes luxuriant. In Sukkur the railway line and the highway split up, with a road and rail tracks leading north-west to Quetta via Sibi and Jacobabad, while another highway and railway line go via Rahimyar Khan and Sadiqabad straight to Multan. Sukkur is a sprawling town with beautiful mosques, gardens, and shrines. As a desert oasis town, it boasts many havelis which are decorated with geometric, floral designs and painted in a variety of bright, contrasting colors.
North Western Frontier Province (NWFP)
runs for over 1,100 kilometres (680 miles) along the border with Afghanistan. Peshawar is its capital and the Vale of Peshawar, fertile and well watered by the Kabul and Swat rivers, is its heart. This was also the heart of the ancient kingdom of Gandhara and is rich in archaeological remains. The northern half of the province consists of five river valleys running roughly parallel, north to south: Chitral, Dir, Swat, Indus and Kaghan. These valleys are on the northern edge of the monsoon belt. They are fairly green and partly wooded in their southern sections.
Peshawar
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Peshawar, the capital city of North-West Frontier Province, is a frontier town, the meeting place of the sub-continent and Central Asia. It is also a place where ancient traditions jostle with those of today, where the bazaar in the old city has changed little in the past hundred years except to become the neighbor of a modern university, some modern hotels, several international banks and one of the best museums in Pakistan
Excursion from Peshawar
Warsak Dam
The gigantic, multi-purpose Warsak Dam is situated 30 kms north-west of Peshawar in the heart of tribal territory.
The Museum
Situated on the Grand Trunk Road in the cantonment area, the museum houses a rich treasure of art, sculpture and historical relics, particularly of the Gandhara period (300 BC - 300 AD).
Takht-e-Bhai
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Situated atop a 160 meter high hill are the remains of a famous Buddhist monastery at Takht-e-Bhai, about 80 kms from Peshawar. This site has produced fragmentary sculptures in stone and stucco that indicate the highly developed sculptural sense of their creators. This site dates back from 2nd-3rd century AD.
Khyber Pass
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The historic Khyber Pass is at a distance of 16 kms west of Peshawar and extends up to the Pak-Afghanistan border at Torkkam.
The Swat Valley
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Swat is the most interesting valley in Pakistan. It is also one of the most beautiful - certainly much greener and more fertile than the valleys further north because it lies within the monsoon belt. In Lower Swat, the valley is wide, the fields on either side of the river are full of wheat and Lucerne, and the villages are prosperous and surrounded by fruit trees. In Upper Swat, the river tumbles through pine forests hemmed in by snow-capped mountains
Lake Saif-ul-Muluk
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10 kms from Naran, this lake is 3200 meters high, providing an awe-inspiring view of Malika Parbat (Queen of the Mountains) 5,260 meters high. You can go boating on the lake and hear the local legend about Prince Saif-ul-Muluk who fell in love with fairy
Fishing:
The Kunhar River and the various lakes offer plenty of fishing opportunities. Both the brown and rainbow trout and the mahasheer can be found in abundance.
BALOCHISTAN
Situated west of the Indus Plains, the largest province in Pakistan with an area about 343,000 square km. Though it's bigger than the British Isles, it only has a population of about 6.5 million, due mainly to its daunting arid geography.
Baluchistan is outside the monsoon zone and has, with the exception of the hilly and arid mountainous regions, a pleasant climate. In winter the temperature falls to as low as - 30° C while in summer it ranges from 18° to 30° C. The province has been influenced by the civilizations in the Indus, Dir and Swat Valleys.
Quetta
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Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan, is linked by air, rail and road with all the major cities of Pakistan, particularly Karachi, which has an international airport.
Hinna Lake
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A little short of the place where the Urak valley begins and ten kms. from Quetta sits the Hinna Lake. The greenish- blue water of the lake provides a rich contrast to the sandy brown of the hills in the back ground.
Ziarat
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Pakistan has a number of beautiful valleys, enchanting their spectators with enthralling beauty but Ziarat is an important and an archaic treasure of Juniper forests.
The summers in the valley are always pleasant, attracting a number of tourists, and the winters extremely harsh. Juniper forests, which are one of the world oldest, are the main source of lush green vista of the Ziarat valley. Some of the trees in Junipers forests had been sowed as long as 5000 years ago, making Ziarat the second biggest Juniper valley in the world.
ISLAMABAD
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Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, is located against the backdrop of Margalla Hills at the northern edge of Potohar Plateau. In contrast to its twin city Rawalpindi, it is lush green, spacious and peaceful. Islamabad is a city of wide, tree-lined streets, large houses, elegant public buildings and well-organized bazaars. Traffic jams and crowds are rare, and narrow lanes and slums are few and far between. Sidewalks are shaded and safe behind rows of flame trees, jacaranda and hibiscus. Roses, jasmine and bougainvillaea fill the many parks, and scenic view-points show the city to its best advantage.
Excursions around Islamabad
Rose and Jasmine Garden
This 20,360 sq. meters garden is famous for its roses. It has 250 different varieties of roses as well as a dozen types of Jasmines. Flower shows are occasionally held here, particularly during spring. Nearby is a Tourist Camping Site
Shakarparian Hills
Shakarparian hills are situated near Zero Point, at a height of 609 meters. Its terraced garden offers pleasant and sweeping vistas of Margalla and Murree hills, Rawal Lake and Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Rawal Lake
This glistening man-made lake covers an area of 8.8 sq. km. The terraced garden and the lake are ideal for picnics fishing and boating. The highest point in the garden commands a panoramic view of the lake, Margalla and Murree hills, Rawalpindi and Islamabad
Daman-e-Koh
This low hill over looking Islamabad, known as Daman-e-Koh, offers panoramic view of Islamabad. Snack bar facilities are available at PTDC's Daman-e-Koh Restaurant. The place is ideal for afternoon and evening outings with family and friends.
Pakistan Museum of Natural History
The Museum depicts early human history, geology, and wildlife of Pakistan. The exhibits are particular interest to students and children.
Islamabad Museum
Islamabad museum presents the history of the land where Pakistan is situated today. Pakistan has been a seat of the world’s leading civilizations from time immemorial.
Shah Faisal Mosque
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This beautiful mosque was designed by a renowned Turkish Architect, Vedat Dalokay and named after late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. It is spread over 1,89,705 sq, meters with 88 meters high minarets and 40 meters high main prayer hall. The main prayer hall can accommodate 10,000 persons, while the covered porticoes and verandahs can take over 24,000 worshipers. The main courtyard has space for 40,000 people.
Mountaineering in Pakistan
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Northern Pakistan has the greatest concentration of the highest peaks in the world. It has 05 peaks over 8,000 metres including the world’s second highest, K-2 (Chogori, 8611 m), 29 peaks of over 7,500 metres and 121 of over 7,000 metres. Hundreds of peaks have yet to be climbed. This, is a great challenge for the mountaineers and mountain climbers the world over.
All peaks/routes for mountaineering have been designated as open zone or restricted zone.
| S.No | Peak | Height (m) | International. Ranking | Range |
| 1 | K-2 | 8611 | 2 | Karakoram |
| 2 | Nanga Parbat | 8125 | 9 | Karakoram |
| 3 | Gasherbrun I | 8068 | 11 | Karakoram |
| 4 | Broad Peak | 8047 | 12 | Karakoram |
| 5 | Gasherbrum II | 8035 | 14 | Karakoram |
| 6 | Gasherbrum III | 7952 | 15 | Karakoram |
| 7 | Gasherbrum IV | 7885 | 20 | Karakoram |
| 8 | Distaghil Sar | 7885 | 20 | Karakoram |
| 9 | Kunyang Chhish | 7852 | 22 | Karakoram |
| 10 | Masherbrum NE | 7821 | 24 | Karakoram |
| 11 | Rakaposhi | 7788 | 27 | Karakoram |
| 12 | Batura | 7785 | 25 | Karakoram |
| 13 | Kanjut Sar | 7760 | 29 | Karakoram |
| 14 | Saltro Kagri | 7760 | 29 | Karakoram |
| 15 | Trivor | 7720 | 6 | Karakoram |
| 16 | Tirichmir | 7708 | 41 | Karakoram |
| 17 | Chogolisa | 7654 | 46 | Karakoram |
| 18 | Shispare | 7619 | 49 | Karakoram |
| 19 | Skyang Kangri | 7544 | 58 | Karakoram |
| 20 | Pamuri Chhish | 7492 | 67 | Karakoram |
| 21 | Noshaq | 7492 | 68 | Karakoram |
| 22 | Tirichmir NW | 7487 | 69 | Karakoram |
| 23 | K-12 | 7468 | 73 | Karakoram |
| 24 | Teram Kangri | 7468 | 73 | Karakoram |
| 25 | Malubiting W | 7452 | 76 | Karakoram |
| 26 | Sia Kingri | 7422 | 79 | Karakoram |
| 27 | Skilbrum | 7420 | 80 | Karakoram |
| 28 | Teram Kangri II | 7406 | 84 | Karakoram |
| 29 | Haramosh | 7406 | 84 | Karakoram |
| 30 | Istro-o-nal | 7403 | 85 | Karakoram |
| 31 | Mt Ghent 7400 | 7400 | 86 | Karakoram |
| 32 | Yukshin Gardan | 7400 | 87 | Karakoram |
| 33 | Ultar Sar I & II | 7388 | 88 | Karakoram |
Trekking in Pakistan
Pakistan is a paradise for trekkers. Most of the trekking routes lies in the northern mountains of the Hindukush, the Karakorams and the Himalayas. For most of the treks, trekking season is between May to October. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of Pakistan, has defined trekking as walking below 6000 m. It has designated three zones for trekking; open, restricted and closed. Foreigners may trek anywhere in open zone without a permit or services of a licensed mountain guide.
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