I took a roadtrip from Karachi to Muzaffarabad and discovered real Pakistan
They had blocked the road to protest the death of their buffaloes because electricity wires fell on them.
Pakistan is a land of plains, plateaus, mountains and a rich cultural heritage. It also has an abundance of fruits and vegetables; an abundance which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. If marketed appropriately, Pakistan’s treasures can attract a multitude of tourists.
This summer, I had the opportunity of taking a road trip from Karachi to Islamabad and then Muzaffarabad, allowing me to be stunned by Pakistan’s beauty first hand.
Road trips are fun but can be extremely exhausting and require a lot of planning. Drivers must be well rested, your car should be checked by a mechanic thoroughly, the tyres should be in good condition and should be sturdy enough to pass the rigours of bumpy roads and a spare fan belt and tyre should be carried. Also, you must always carry lots of spare change as the entrance to every city has a toll plaza.
The distance from Islamabad to Karachi is 1500 kilometres (km) but since the distance was too long for us to cover in one stretch, we made a pit-stop in Bahawalpur for the night. The idea behind doing this is to cross the interior parts of Sindh during the day time, preferably before sunset because some parts, particularly Obaro, are known for their dacoits, and just like any other country in the world, smart travelling ensures full security too.
We started our journey to unveil the beauty of Pakistan, on July 20 at 6:15 am.
Our first destination was Moro, a town in Naushahro Feroze, Sindh, where we stopped for breakfast. Moro is 320 km away from Karachi and it took us approximately five hours to get there.
Before reaching Moro, we drove by Hala, Hyderabad, and many other small towns in Sindh. Whilst driving by Hala, we came across small stalls, strewn alongside the road, selling various handicrafts, embellished bed sheets, pillow covers, and other handmade items. What was interesting to note here, however, was that when we stopped at any of the highway restaurants, we were charged for roti on a per head basis and not per piece, unlike how it is in Karachi.
After freshening up at Moro, we started our journey with new found excitement. On the way, we saw farms of khaji (raw dates), banana trees, mango orchards and bought fresh fruits from the vendors on the sidewalks. Our journey met with a hiccup around Ghotki town when some protestors blocked the road to protest the death of their buffaloes because electricity wires fell on them. Unexpected road blockages by locals are common in parts of Sindh and one should keep time provisions for them when travelling by road.
We reached Bahawalpur at around 8:30pm. In Bahawalpur, we visited the historic Darbar Mahal (palace), built by Nawab Sadiq IV, in 1907. The interesting fact about this palace was that the construction material used for it was brought from Multan and in order to save time, a line of labourers was formed from Multan to Bahawalpur. Darbar Mahal is a piece of art but, unfortunately, is closed to the public as it is being used by the army. ‘Noor Mahal’ is another such place in Bahawalpur which I intend on visiting the next time I visit.
We resumed our journey the next morning, driving towards Islamabad and were able to reach Rawalpindi by night.
On our return journey, we stayed at Rahim Yar Khan instead of Bahawalpur. We had the pleasure of looking around khaji farms, which we had passed earlier. I also had the good fortune of closely observing technique of processing khajies into dates; for those interested in knowing how it is done, they are put into a large clay oven full of water, a fire is lit under this oven and after a few hours, these khajies are taken out and laid out on large mats in the open for drying and voila!
My interaction with date farmers made me realise the shortage they faced when it came to basic resources and tools. I am sure that if this industry is developed to its full potential, Pakistan can start exporting dates and earn revenue in order to boost its economy.
Various towns I came across were either completely unheard of or were only ever mentioned during election season; towns such as Meharbpur, Daulatpur, Miranpur, Uchsharif, Peermahal, Hasilpur, Bhaipeeru, Khanqah Dogran,Tala gang, Phool nagar, Jandial, Bucha, Kalan,Kallar Syedan and many others.
Travelling by road is a unique experience. It gives you the opportunity to travel the length and breadth of a country and to discover the customs practiced in remote areas. If I had not made this journey, I would have been deprived what real Pakistan truly is.
Of course, it requires patience, but I advise all my readers to try it at least once in their lives in order to explore the hidden treasures of Pakistan.
All Photos: Khurrum Zia Khan
This summer, I had the opportunity of taking a road trip from Karachi to Islamabad and then Muzaffarabad, allowing me to be stunned by Pakistan’s beauty first hand.
Road trips are fun but can be extremely exhausting and require a lot of planning. Drivers must be well rested, your car should be checked by a mechanic thoroughly, the tyres should be in good condition and should be sturdy enough to pass the rigours of bumpy roads and a spare fan belt and tyre should be carried. Also, you must always carry lots of spare change as the entrance to every city has a toll plaza.
The distance from Islamabad to Karachi is 1500 kilometres (km) but since the distance was too long for us to cover in one stretch, we made a pit-stop in Bahawalpur for the night. The idea behind doing this is to cross the interior parts of Sindh during the day time, preferably before sunset because some parts, particularly Obaro, are known for their dacoits, and just like any other country in the world, smart travelling ensures full security too.
We started our journey to unveil the beauty of Pakistan, on July 20 at 6:15 am.
Our first destination was Moro, a town in Naushahro Feroze, Sindh, where we stopped for breakfast. Moro is 320 km away from Karachi and it took us approximately five hours to get there.
Before reaching Moro, we drove by Hala, Hyderabad, and many other small towns in Sindh. Whilst driving by Hala, we came across small stalls, strewn alongside the road, selling various handicrafts, embellished bed sheets, pillow covers, and other handmade items. What was interesting to note here, however, was that when we stopped at any of the highway restaurants, we were charged for roti on a per head basis and not per piece, unlike how it is in Karachi.
After freshening up at Moro, we started our journey with new found excitement. On the way, we saw farms of khaji (raw dates), banana trees, mango orchards and bought fresh fruits from the vendors on the sidewalks. Our journey met with a hiccup around Ghotki town when some protestors blocked the road to protest the death of their buffaloes because electricity wires fell on them. Unexpected road blockages by locals are common in parts of Sindh and one should keep time provisions for them when travelling by road.
We reached Bahawalpur at around 8:30pm. In Bahawalpur, we visited the historic Darbar Mahal (palace), built by Nawab Sadiq IV, in 1907. The interesting fact about this palace was that the construction material used for it was brought from Multan and in order to save time, a line of labourers was formed from Multan to Bahawalpur. Darbar Mahal is a piece of art but, unfortunately, is closed to the public as it is being used by the army. ‘Noor Mahal’ is another such place in Bahawalpur which I intend on visiting the next time I visit.
We resumed our journey the next morning, driving towards Islamabad and were able to reach Rawalpindi by night.
On our return journey, we stayed at Rahim Yar Khan instead of Bahawalpur. We had the pleasure of looking around khaji farms, which we had passed earlier. I also had the good fortune of closely observing technique of processing khajies into dates; for those interested in knowing how it is done, they are put into a large clay oven full of water, a fire is lit under this oven and after a few hours, these khajies are taken out and laid out on large mats in the open for drying and voila!
My interaction with date farmers made me realise the shortage they faced when it came to basic resources and tools. I am sure that if this industry is developed to its full potential, Pakistan can start exporting dates and earn revenue in order to boost its economy.
Various towns I came across were either completely unheard of or were only ever mentioned during election season; towns such as Meharbpur, Daulatpur, Miranpur, Uchsharif, Peermahal, Hasilpur, Bhaipeeru, Khanqah Dogran,Tala gang, Phool nagar, Jandial, Bucha, Kalan,Kallar Syedan and many others.
Travelling by road is a unique experience. It gives you the opportunity to travel the length and breadth of a country and to discover the customs practiced in remote areas. If I had not made this journey, I would have been deprived what real Pakistan truly is.
Of course, it requires patience, but I advise all my readers to try it at least once in their lives in order to explore the hidden treasures of Pakistan.
All Photos: Khurrum Zia Khan