South Asian Business news and information

The word “Pakistan” means “Land of the Pure” in Urdu and Persian language.  In this blog, Razib Ahmed wrote two articles about Pakistan tourism: Pakistani Government trying for Tourism and Pakistan: Some tourist attractions. For the last few days, I have been writing about tourism in the South Asian countries. Here are twelve reasons why you should visit Pakistan:

• If you enjoy visiting the historical sites then I would say Pakistan is a must visit for you. This country bears the remains of the dawn of human civilization. Without seeing it, your knowledge of history would remain incomplete. The history of Pakistan can be traced back to 3000 B.C. The Indus valley civilization, stretching from Kashmir to the Arabian Sea is one of the first civilizations of the world and it included the area of the present day Pakistan. The two major centers of this civilization are: Harappa, on the bank of Ravi in Sahiwal district and Moenjo Daro, situated in the Larkana district.

• Marakan coastline is the only coastline of Pakistan. Situated on the south of Balochistan, this coastline is 754 kilometers long. The army of the great Greek Commander, Alexander, marched through here in 325 B.C. Muhammad Bin Qasim, the famous Muslim General, led his expedition to Sindh through Marakan.

• Many of you have heard the name of the famous Silk Road. It is a series of interconnected roads through the South Asian region. Recently, Pakistan and China jointly built a road that followed this ancient Silk Road. The main attraction of this road is that it runs along the Himalayan mountain ranges, Indus River, and the Gilgit and Hunza valleys. It is very popular among tourists. 

• Karachi: The former capital and the largest city of Pakistan. Situated by the Arabian Sea, at present, this city is the capital of Sindh province. Despite loosing the status of the capital city, it remains one of the major economic centers of Pakistan. The major tourist attractions of Karachi are: street restaurants, tea houses, samosa and juice stalls. The harbor is another great place. Boats can be hired to sail in the harbor. Among other tourist attractions there are: remainders of British period buildings, the tomb of Quaid-e-Azam, the National Museum, parks, the zoo and beach at Clifton.

• Lahore: According to legend, Lahore, another major city of Pakistan was established four thousand years ago by Hindu Prince Rama. Historians have found that this city is basically two thousand years old. World famous traveler, Hieuen-tsang, had given a very beautiful description of this city in his travelogue. During the reign of the Mughals, it was one of major cultural centers. Mughal emperors built many gardens, palaces, and mosques in this city many of which still remain. The British also built many monuments that blended Victorian, Gothic and Mughal architectural style. 

• Islamabad: Islamabad, the present capital of Pakistan contains some great attractions for travelers. It was declared as the new capital in 1963.The wide streets, beautiful gardens and fountains, modern office buildings have turned it into a symbol of hope and pride for Pakistan. Among the tourist attractions of Islamabad there are: Margalla Hills, Daman-e-Koh, a terraced garden, and the Shah Faisal Mosque, where 10,000 worshippers can pray at a time.

• Rawalpindi: Both Rawalpindi and Islamabad are situated on the Pothawar plain. After the declaration of Islamabad as the new capital of Pakistan, the importance of this small sleepy town also increased. The old part of the town can be a major attraction for the tourists. Local buildings and mosques, local market with narrow streets and handicraft shops can be very exciting for many travelers. However, the main tourist attraction, the Rawal Lake is situated five miles from Rawalpindi. This is basically an artificial water reservoir. After beautification of the surrounding areas it turned into a great tourist and picnic spot.   

• If you want to go to a country of diverse landscape then Pakistan is a very good choice. The 880,254 square kilometers area has deserts, mangrove swamps, sandy beaches and temperate forests, cold icy mountains on the north, green fertile lands and many more.

• Mountains: Pakistan is home of the world’s second highest mountain, K-2. There are two mountain groups in Pakistan; the northern and the western group. The northern group includes the Himalayan, the Karakoram, and the Hindukush Ranges. K-2 is situated in the Karakoram Range. If you are a trekker then this is the ultimate challenge for you. For more information visit the government tourism website.

• The mountains of the western group are comparatively smaller. They include Chitral and Swat hills. Although small, these mountains have great historical value as Alexander the Great marched his army in 327 B.C through here. For more information on this area visit this link.  

• If you enjoy water sports then you should visit Northern Pakistan. The following rivers in Pakistan have water sports facility: Indus, Kunhar, Swat, Pankora, and Hunza.

• Still there are many other places of either great historical value or natural. I could not cover them all in my article. Here I am providing names of some of those places. If anyone of you has any further information to add here, you can submit it in the comment.
• Gandhara and Taxilla , Abbotabad, Bahawalpur, Banbhore, Chaukundi Tombs, Chitral - Kalash Valleys, Gilgit Hunza & Khunjerab, Haleji Lake, Hyderabad, Kaghan Valley, Keenjhar Lake, Khybar Pass, Kirthar National Park, Lal Suhanra National Park, Multan, Murree & Gallies, Peshawar, Quetta, Skardu, Sukkur, Swat Valley, Thatta, Ziarat (You can find information about all these places in Ungroup.)

In conclusion, I have to say that the Pakistan’s are really a lucky nation with so many things to offer to the travelers. It is really a matter of great disappointment, that the Pakistani government has not taken the full advantage of the country’s tourism sector. Pakistan’s economy is in bad need of foreign currency now. The earthquake of 2005 has destroyed lives of many people in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Not only NWFP but also the whole country is devastated by this natural calamity. If Pakistan government could develop the tourism sector, then it would bring necessary foreign currency to rebuild the country’s economy and infrastructure.