Pakistan Tourism is growing for more years than we care to remember. This country included several cultural and historical sites and is diverse geographically and ethically.
Tourist attraction due to its enormous natural beauty on the planet, there’s no wonder that Forbes ranked this country as one of the ‘10 coolest places to go’.
The ruins of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, the Himalayan Hill station are one of the major tourist allures. Many mountain peaks spreading over 7,000 meters including K2 fascinate adventurers and mountaineers. While the north is occupied with old fortresses, ancient architectures, and communities like Kalash.
Background of Pakistan Tourism
In the mid-1960s, it used to be included in the “hippy trail” that was spread from Europe to Asia. That disappeared due to the absence of liberty. It happened around the 1970’s Islamization by dictator Gen Zia-ul-Haq leading to the Taliban and 9/11 times.
Since 2001, tourism Pakistan came to halt due to tourism but law enforcement and the army get over terrorism since after that making this country safer for residents and foreigners.
Province and territory
Gilgit-Baltistan
This contains some of the highest peaks including K2, the famous World’s second-highest peak. Its landscapes are occupied with mountains, lakes, valleys, and glaciers. It is often visited for its culture, landmarks, history, and people.
Balochistan
Occupying approximately 43% of the country, it is the largest province by area. Balochistan is residential of one of the oldest Neolithic (7000 BC to c. 2500 BC) archaeology sites. An ancient port that was used during Hellenistic civilization is located at Area.
The provincial capital is Quetta. In the city of Ziarat, the Quaid-e-Azam Residency is known for being one of the oldest and humongous juniper forests. Another historical city is Sibi where Jirga Hall has a collection of ancient pieces from Mehrgrah, Nesshero, and Pirak.
Mountain passes like Bolan Pass, Lak Pass, Khojak Pass, and Harnai Pass are also adventurer’s attractions.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The popular for explorers, located in the northwest is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is home to enormous landscapes, mountains, valleys, hills, and farms. Several Buddhist archeological sites are located in this specific province.
Peshawar is the capital of the province with its anciently important sites like Bala Hisar Fort, Peshawar Museum, Mohabbat Khan Mosque, and many others.
The main entrance used for entering into the province from Punjab to Balochistan is Dera Ismail Khan City with its Hindu ruins at Kafir Kot.
Punjab
It is the second-largest province popular for its ancient heritage culture and religious diversity. This region was once ruled by Indus Valley Civilization and ancient archaeological Harrapa was finding. Greek, Central Asians, and Persians also ruled Punjab.
During the time of the Umayyad Caliphate followed by Ghaznavids, Islam was being spread in this region. Mughals ruled this region for several centuries. British Raj took control afterward until the independence.
Major sites are visited by tourists every year.
Sindh
Locating in south-eastern, it is famous for its religious heritage and rapid urbanization. Around the city of Larkana, the Mohenjo-Daro is the largest city settlement and an official UNESCO World Heritage site.
The provincial capital is Karachi and the largest city with the home of the Founder of the nation Muhammad Ali Jannah.
Azad Jammu Kashmir
In the northern part of the country, it’s green, fertile, and mountainous popular for Pakistan tourism. It encompasses the lower area of the Himalayas.
Islamabad capital territory
The capital city is located on the Pothohar plateau. It is known for its crossroads and Faisal mosque (The largest mosque in South Asia). Islamabad is also been ranked as the second most beautiful capital city in the world.
Heritage sites and landmarks
- Badshahi Mosque – Lahore
- Shah Jahan Mosque – Thatta
- Wazir Khan Mosque
- Tomb of Jhangir, Asif khan, Akbari Sarai Gateway
- Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam – Multan
- Central Karakoram Park
- Deosai National Park
- Hiran Minar and Tank
- Harrapa
- Katas Raj Temples
- Mansehra Rock Edicts
- The Salt Range and Khewra Salt Mine
- Ziarat Juniper Forest
Tourism Pakistan under PM Imran Khan
Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced to boost tourism to generate millions of jobs. In a television address: he said; “Pakistan has huge tourism potential. We will promote tourism to strengthen the economy.”
Military operation launched during 2013-2017 has wiped out terrorism across the country. The Government has also facilitated the visa policy process. Fawad Chaudhry, a minister in government has said, “Peace had been restored and the local and foreign tourists were coming in large numbers to visit the scenic places and heritage sites.”
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