Pakistan: The Land of Diversity
The Ultimate Destination!
The first tourist group arrived in Pakistan some 4000 years ago. They were the Aryans. They liked the land so much that they never went back. In their search, came the Persians followed by the Greeks, Bactrians, Huns, Arabs, Dravidians, Turks, Mongols, Tibetans and many others, but they all preferred to stay in this pristine land.
The obvious reason was the incomparable beauty, grandeur and tranquility of this region. The country possesses all the ingredients for a Booming Tourist Destination. It’s extremely rich heritage is enough to quench the aesthetics from all walks of life. Pakistan’s tourism potential is little known to the western world and its rich and multicolored heritage is lying untapped. Therefore, the tourists visiting Pakistan can enjoy solitude and tranquility.
The Incomparable History!
10 million years ago, the common ancestors of man and ape roamed around Islamabad, the gleaming capital of Pakistan. The Stone Age tools of Homo sapiens of 50,000 BC are found along So’Aan River. Pakistanis happen to be the proud inheritors of regions that remained centers of ancient civilizations of the World. Not just one out of dozens, but we happen to be ONE out of the TWO ancient civilizations on Earth. Yes..! the developed civilizations of the Indus, at Harrappa and Moenjodaro are both Contemporary to the Egyptian civilizations of the Nile and Mesopotamian civilizations of Euphrates. This makes Pakistan, a paradise for the lovers of history and archaeology.
The developed city of Mehargarh was 3000 year old when Alexander the great invaded this country in 326 B.C. The region that forms Pakistan has always been on the crossroads of history. All the ancient routes and great passes happen to be in Pakistan, which made this region a favorite play ground for many conquerors, traders, travelers, historians, preachers and tourists who came from around the world.
The Matchless People!
Pakistan is an eternal abode of 150 Million people of over 30 Ethnic Groups speaking over 72 Languages and Dialects. Pakistan is perhaps, the only country which exhibits an amazing contrast of people in terms of their color, creeds, races, inheritance, customs, languages, dresses and religions – just after every 25 miles in any direction. Whether they are the Fierce Pathans, the Upright Balochis or the Humble Sindhis; Submissive Baltis or the Amiable Hunzakurts; Primitive Kafirs or the Versatile Punjabis – they all bear different cultures, traditions and customs, but they are all fastened with just one common character – the Pakistani Traditional Hospitality.
The Unusual Geography!
Enveloped in the extremes of 04 distinct weathers, the contrasting Geography of Pakistan is the nature’s great gift. Spread over an area of 8,68,591 Sq Kms, this magnificent land contains galaxies of towering snow capped mountains, gigantic creeping glaciers, lush green alpine and meadows, rushing white rivers, tumbling waterfalls, quiet lakes, blossoming fruit orchards in the North, ………. and fertile plateaus, rich alluvial plains, meandering yellow rivers, glowing deserts and sandy beaches in the South. The Hundreds of miles of rushing torrents surging out from the snouts of these glaciers mingle to form the 3200 Km long Indus river which quenches the entire length of the country and merges with the Arabian Sea – which banks a sandy beach of over 1000 Km!
This incomparable contrast will be completed only but with a brief mention of the 470,000 Sq Km deserts located in Baluchistan, Sindh and Southern Punjab with rich multicolored culture of their own. The CONTINENTAL COLLISION of the three mighty mountain ranges of the world the Himalayas, the Karakorams and the Hindukush in the North gave birth to the thickest cluster of the Highest Peaks and Largest Glaciers on Earth.
The statistics are simply baffling. 05 of the world’s 14 peaks above 8000 meters are in Pakistan. 101 peaks are above 7000 meters and peaks from 6999 to 3000 meters are countless. 50 of the world’s 100 highest peaks are in Pakistan. K-2, 8626 M, is the second highest on Earth.
Alone in Baltistan and Hunza, there are more than 100 peaks above 18,000 ft. Literally, most of their base camps are higher than the Summits of all the peaks in Europe. Pakistan’s glaciated region covers 12,000 Sq/Kms. The 06 longest valley glaciers of the world, are also in Pakistan and their total length exceed 350 Km. The Biafo-Hispar glacial corridor of 116 Km is the longest on Earth. No mention of over 300 small glaciers and their tributaries ranging from 1 to 50 Kms.