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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 bougainvillea fill
the many parks, and scenic viewpoints show the city to its best advantage.
The master plan of this most modern city was prepared in 1960 by M/s.
Constantinos Doxiades, a Greek firm of Architects.
Construction was started in October 1961. The city came
into life on 26 October 1966, when the first office building of Islamabad
was occupied. It is a modern and carefully planned city. There are ample
opportunities for walking, jogging, hiking and trekking around Islamabad
in the Margalla Hills. The Margalla Hill range offers excellent opportunities
for short and long hikes with magnificent vistas opening up on all sides.
A network of trails having more then 120 kms total length has been developed.
The urban area is divided into eight zones: administrative,
diplomatic, residential, institutional, industrial, commercial, greenbelt,
and a national park that includes an Olympic village and gardens and
dairy, poultry, and vegetable farms, as well as such as the Atomic Research
Institute and the National Health Center. The name Islamabad (City of
Islam, or City of Peace) was chosen the reflect the country's ideology.
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Photo Gallery |
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Faisal Mosque |
Supreme Court of Pakistan |
View from Margalla Hills |
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Presidency & Parliament House |
Rose & Jasmine Garden |
View of Rawal Dam |
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| Art Galleries |
National Art Gallery
#77, Street 48, F-7/4, Islamabad
Phone :
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Nomand Art Gallery
First Floor, Block 13-P, F-7 Markaz, Islamabad
Phone : |
Rohtas Art Gallery
4-B, Street 62, F-7/4, Islamabad
Phone :
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Art Gallery
Agha Khan, Road, F-6 Markaz, Islamabad
Phone : |
Hunerkada
#17, Street 83, G-6/4, Islamabad
Phone :
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| Margalla Hills National Park |
| Location |
North East of the
national capital Islamabad |
| Activities/Interest |
Wild Life, Nature, Ecotour,
Education, Picnic |
| Accessibility |
Road |
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Margalla Hills National Park, is
located in the foothills of the Himalayan range. This park is
the most accessible park in Pakistan due to its close proximity
to the national capital, Islamabad. It is an extention of the
Islamabad wildlife sanctuary, which includes the Shakar Parian
Hills and the Rawal Lake. The park was setup to provide refugee
to the Gray Goral, Barking deer and the Leopard, which is found
in this area in winters. Protection to these animals have benefitted
other unusual and interesting smaller animal as well. Margalla
Hills Park provides an excellent opportunity for bird watching.
A Cheer Pheasant hatchery has been established at Chak Jabri to
raise captive Cheer pheasants that have become extinct in the
hills. These are then released in the wild.
Wildlife:
Mammals in the park include Asiatic leopard, Wild boar, Jackal,
Rhesus Macaque, Leopard cat, Gray Goral sheep, Barking deer, Chinkara
gazelle(rare), Red fox, Pangolin, Porcupine, Yellow throated marten
and Fruit bats.
Birds in the park are Griffon vulture, Laggar falcon, Peregrine
falcon, Kestrel, Indian sparrow hawk, Egyptian vulture, White
cheeked bulbul, yellow vented bulbul, Paradise flycatcher, Black
partridge, Cheer pheasant, Khalij pheasant, Golden oriole, Spotted
dove, Collared dove, Larks, Shrikes, Wheatears and buntings.
Reptiles in the park are Russells viper, Indian cobra and Saw
scaled viper. |
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| Ayubia National Park |
| Location |
North of Murree in
the Himalayan range mountains |
| Activities/Interest |
Wild Life, Nature, Ecotour,
Education |
| Accessibility |
Road |
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Ayubia National Park is a small
national park in the Murree hills. This park provides refuge to
the elusive leopard and the black bear. Bird watching is excellent
here. The scenery is superb with huge pine forests covering the
hills and providing shelter to the larger and smaller mammals.
Wildlife:
Mammals in the park include Asiatic leopard, Black bear, Yellow
throated marten, Kashmir hill fox, Red Flying squirrel, Himalayan
palm civet, Masked civet and Rhesus Macaque.
Birds in the park are Golden eagle, Griffon vulture, Honey buzzard,
Peregrine falcon, Kestrel, Indian sparrow hawk, Hill pigeon, Spotted
dove and Collared dove. |
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| Lok Virsa Museum |
| Location |
At Rawalpindi-Islamabad
Highway on the lush green site of Shakarparian |
| Display |
Folk and Cultural Heritage |
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The Lok Virsa (National institute
of folk and traditional Heritage) is charged with the preservation
of folk and traditional culture of Pakistan. Visitors to the museum
can see at first the crafts from far-flung areas arranged and
displayed according to motif, area and use. It has a large display
of embroided costumes, jewelry, woodwork, metalwork, blockprinting,
ivory and bonework. Traditional archietecture facades exhibiting
such skills as fresco, mirror work, marble inlay, tile mosaic
and stucco tracery are also displayed
The biggest cultural event in spring each year in the federal
capital is the Folk Festival of Pakistan held in the exhibition
Hall at the Shakarparian complex. For one week visitors to the
festival can see artisans and master craftsmen from different
parts of Pakistan at work in aesthetically designed pavilions,
creating the best examples of their craft. Some groups from remote
regions charm the audience with traditional folk dances and music.
Concerts of famous folk and classical singers are held each evening
during the festival. The festival held in April each year. This
is the only cultural gathering with that much diversity in Pakistan.
Lok Virsa Heritage Reference Library is equipped with resource
data on ethnography, anthropology, folk music, art, history and
crafts and contains over ten thousand books on Pakistani culture
and the social sciences and field reports based on original research.
The Lok Virsa sound archive contains the single largest collection
of recorded songs, ballads, epics and interviews pertaining to
Pakistani culture.
The institute's Audio-visual section produces video films of customs,
traditions and folk performances for video Archive. |
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| Pakistan
Museum of Natural History |
| Location |
Islamabad |
| Display |
Natural History. |
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The Museum depicts early human history,
geology, and wildlife of Pakistan. The exhibits are particular
interest to students and children. |
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| Islamabad
Museum |
| Location |
House No. 41, Street
No. 3, Sector E-7, Islamabad |
| Display |
Archaeological |
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Islamabad museum presents a long
historic sequence of the land where Pakistan is situated today.
Pakistan has been a seat of the worlds leading civilizations from
the time immemorial. There is plenty of evidence to support this
argument now on display in Islamabad Museum. For example, 20 million
years old fossil remains, 2 million years old man-made stone tools,
7000 years old early human settlements which lead to the world
famous Indus Civilization, Gandhara Grave Culture and Gandhara
art, early Islamic settlement and Mughal period, their art and
craft. |
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| Taxila |
| Location |
35.40 km from Rawalpindi. |
| Civilization |
Gandhara Civilization. |
| Accessibility |
Road |
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Taxila is the one of the
famous archaeological site in the world. At sometime it was center
of Buddhism, worlds famous Gandhara sculpture and the center of
learning and culture.
At Taxila, you can see the great Buddha. His eyes gaze
at you till you find yourself gripped by the feeling of awe. The
other people you can meet at Taxila are Alexander of Macedonian,
Asoka the famous Buddhist king and Kanishka. You'll find their
imprints all over the place.In 327 BC Alexander conquered the
Taxila which was Achaemenian Empire. Later it came under Mauryan
dynasty and reached a great level of development under the rule
of great Asoka.
The next step in the Taxila history was the indo-Greek
descendents of the Alexander's warriors and the final period is
called Gandhara. The great Kushan Dynasty was then established
in 50 AD, and in these 200 years Taxila became the most renowned
center for philosophy, art and learning. Taxila is the great attraction
for the pilgrims and tourists from China and Greece. The final
period of the Taxila in the fifth century AD when white Huns snuffed
out the most successful and great Gandhara civilization of last
several centuries.Taxila is the one of the famous archaeological
site in the world. At sometime it was center of Buddhism, worlds
famous Gandhara sculpture and the center of learning and culture.
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Dharmarajika Stupa Texila |
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Archaelogical site near Texila |
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Exploring Taxila is a multi-dimensional
experience. The richness and variety of the famed Gandhara sculpture
will attract you. There are many images of Buddha, in stone and
stucco and numerous panels depicting all the important stages of
the great sage's life. Exquisitely times of one of the world's most
impressive men of peace Gautama Buddha. Each carved bit of sculpture,
from the colossal to the miniature and there are literally thousands
of them is the items of collection. To find difference between the
Greece-Roman counterparts and the Gandhara masterpieces will be
a great challenge for you. To welcome you there are stone men and
women who will receive you open armed in Taxila. Then there are
three distinct cities, which are in very good state of preservation.
With your imagination sided by the carved people who inhabit these
cities, you will have little difficulty in picturing crowds on the
well laid out streets, families in the spacious houses, priests
in the towering stupas and royalty in the great palaces.
The earliest city of these is known as Bhir Mound. Which was established
somewhere in sixth century BC, whose irregular streets, cramped
houses and mediocre public buildings indicate its primitive origins.
Then comes the Sirkap city which is on the opposite side of Tamara
Stream, is much younger and it was built somewhere around 2nd century
BC, and you'll find the difference between these cities because
this one is well planed.
And as you will stroll down its streets you can call at the houses
of the affluent and go slumming, as it were, in the more crowded
sections where dwelt the common man of the dim and misty past. Note
the fortification of wall, the long, straight and impressive main
street, the Royal palace, an Apsidal Temple and the shrine of the
double headed eagle. Sirsukh the most modern city of them was built
by Kushan kings in first century AD. It is fully excavated as yet
but it is clearly a well-fortified and well-laid out city. This
city is patterned after Central Asian cities, and is complete with
suburb.
In addition to these cities, there are many monasteries and stupas
have been excavated all along the Taxila valley. Dharmarajika stupa,
which is 2 miles from Taxila museum is a must see stupa. It comprises
main building, a monastery area where the monk lived and a series
of small chapels. A wealth of gold, silver coins, gems, jewelry
and the other antiques were discovered at Dharmarajika.
Jaulian another marvelous complex of chapels, stupas, quadrangles,
and a monastery with assembly hall, store rooms, refectory, kitchen
and bathrooms. At five small stupas you will sea beautiful stucco
relieves of Buddha and Bodhisattvas supported by rows of stone elephants
and lions.
Two miles west of Jaulian is an other well-preserved monastery at
Mohra Moradu. In one of the monk's cells here was found stupa with
almost all the details intact. At Jandial, a mile-and-a-half from
Sirsukh, is an image-less temple in the classic Greek style, with
sandstone columns and cornices.
Attraction for climbers is Glen of Giri, which is about three-and-half
miles from Dharmarajika stupa. Atop the highest peak of the range
of hills are two stupas and a fortress built in a cleft near a spring
of pure, sweet water. The stucco decorations of the stupas are well
worth of the climb.
Visit to Taxila is a good worth of your money. To feel and understand
the importance their full importance you'll have to visit Taxila
by your self. The men 3000 years ago knew that what they are doing
when they choose Taxila to built there cities here. |
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| Muree
and Galiyat |
| Location |
Hill station of northern
Punjab in Rawalpindi district. |
| Elevation |
2240 meters. |
| Weather |
All four seasons provides the
visitors with the varied splendor of changing colors. Especially
in winter you can enjoys the snowfall. |
| Tourist Season |
Round the year. |
| Activities/Interest |
Trekking, Hiking, Camping,
Picnic, Childern Tours, Senior Tours, Golf |
| Accessibility |
Murree
can easily accessible from all parts of Pakistan through
out the year. Murree 65 km from Rawalpindi and 45 km from
Islamabad and transport is available throughout the year
from all parts of Pakistan. |
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Murree is known as Malik-a-kohsar
(Queen of mountains) Murree, at 2,240 meters (7,400 feet), is
only an hour's drive northeast of Islamabad. Its cold pine forests,
amidst magnificent mountain scenery, make it the first choice
for a day's outing from the capital. The Galis are a string of
hill resorts along the ridge between Murree and Abbottabad, on
the Karakoram Highway. Founded as a hill station by the British
in 1851, Murree was the summer headquarters of the government
of Punjab until 1876, when the honor was transferred to Simla.
Murree remained, however, a little bit of England, complete with
The Mall for promenading, parks, churches, schools, clubs and
cafes. Since independence, Murree has once again become the summer
retreat of the governor of Punjab and, since Islamabad became
the capital of Pakistan in 1962, has expanded rapidly.
Murree is lovely all year round. In summer it is cool - even chilly
in the evening - and rain is common. In winter, the snow is piled
high along the sides of the streets. But it is extremely popular
with Punjabis escaping the heat of the plains in summer, so is
too crowded for comfort from late May to early September, especially
at weekends. To beat the crowds and still enjoy the walks, the
best time to go in April-May and September-October. Murree spreads
along the top of a ridge for about five kilometres (three miles).
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A Paradise view of Dungagali |
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PC Hotel at Bhurban |
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At the northeast end is Kashmir Point,
with views across the valley of the Jhelum River into Azad Kashmir.
At the southwest end is Pindi Point, looking back towards Rawalpindi
and Islamabad. Between the two runs The Mall, at the center of,
which is the main Shopping area, where most people congregate. Numerous
roads leave. The Mall and either follow the contours of the ridge
or descend to the principal road. Promenading and shopping are Murree's
main amusements, or riding in the new chair-lifts, one from Bansara
Gali (below Murree) to Pindi Point, the other to the top of Patriata
hill (on the road to Karor); both rides cost about Rs. 50 and take
half an hour with a change from open chair-lift to the enclosed
bubble in the middle. Good buys in Murree are Kashmiri shawls, furs,
walking sticks, fruits and nuts. Murree's pistachio nuts are reputed
to be the best in Pakistan.
Places of Interest:
Bhurban is a minor resort eight kilometers
(five miles) from Murree on the road-leading northeast to Kohala
and the Jhelum Valley. The golf course here is open only to members.
From near the Pearl Continental hotel you can take one of the
many delightful paved walks through the woods.
Patriata is 25 km from Murree. The TDCP has developed
a new tourist resort at Patriata. There is chairlift and cable car
system, which takes visitor's upto Patriata Ridge in two stages
from Gulehra Gali. The first stage is by chair lift up to Patriata
Bazaar. From here visitors transfer to cable car gondolas for the
ride up to Patriata Ride. A restaurant has also been established.
Further plans include development of a wildlife park at the mid-station.
Dungagali is a picturesque small resort
situated on the slopes of the Mukshpuri hill (2376 m.). It commands
a charming view of a series of wooded spurs projecting towards
the river Jhelum on the western side. From Dungagali one can climb
the 2813-m peak of Mukhshpuri, which is the highest point in the
range. Natural springs abound on the slopes. It is 30 km from
Murree.
Khairagali It is 16 km from Murree at an
elevation of 2346 m and commands a panoramic view on either side
of the ridge.
Changlagali It is 16 km from Murree at an
altitude of 2559 meters there is a rest house located in the most
picturesque surroundings.
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