World Tourism Day : TCKP takes history buffs on a train ride

PESHAWAR:

The Tourism Corporation Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP), in collaboration with Pakistan Railways and Sehrai Travels, organised a train excursion to Attock Khurd to mark World Tourism Day (WTD) 

on Sunday.

WTD is celebrated around the world on September 27 to highlight the tourism industry and create more jobs at the local level in addition to socioeconomic development.

According to a handout issued by the TCKP, the safari train took members of youth organisations, including women scouts, Women Chamber of Commerce representatives, the Peshawar cricket team as well as other cricket teams. The participants were accompanied by Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Museums and Youth Affairs Additional Secretary Muhammad Tariq Khan. While talking to the media at Attock Khurd railway station, Tariq said all their efforts were directed to promote tourism in the province.

Attock Khurd is situated on the eastern bank of Indus River near an old iron girder bridge which was built in 1883 and connects K-P to Punjab.

The train tour offers a rare glimpse of a section of the historic Rawalpindi–Landikotal route. The journey begins from Peshawar Cantonment Railway station and passes by the famous Balahisar Fort.

The train passes through seven colonial era tunnels; the last one is called Aornos, named after the site of Alexander the Great’s last siege before he crossed the Indus to India. The train then crosses the mighty river over the old Attock Bridge and makes its final stop at Attock Khurd Railway Station.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2015.