Happy Independence 2020
The territory that now constitutes this fascinating land is a cradle of civilization as it has, over the
PREFACE
Pakistan is a hidden gem for the discerning tourist, one that progressively gaining recognition locally
and internationally. Few countries in the world can claim the richness of history, the diversity of cultures
& languages and the variety of terrains & agro-climatic zones that Pakistan is privileged to be home to.
The fifth largest country in terms of population and located at the heart of the Silk Route, Pakistan has
welcomed traders and settlers from far-off regions and absorbed what was the best of them into the
traditions, arts and crafts and even cuisines that exemplify Pakistan.
From the towering mountains of the North to the endless golden deserts of the South, from the fertile
fields of the plains to the shores of the Arabian Sea, Pakistan is a plethora of experiences. The culture
and dialects change as frequently as the terrain and the traveler through these lands experiences the
novel and unusual, every few miles. The miracle, however, is the underlying tradition of hospitality which
means that visitors have always been and are always welcomed wholeheartedly.
Folklore is teeming with stories of traders & saints, even invaders, passing through the land and never
going back, surrendering themselves to the endless beauty of the five rivers and many streams, the
lilting sway of the golden fields and the enchanting simplicity of the people that inhabit these lands.
The land has been historically a melting pot of cultures and traditions and through this collection of
photographs we attempt to capture a miniscule portion of the natural wonders, ancient monuments and
contemporary architecture across the four provinces and other regions of Pakistan.
centuries, been home to several ancient cultures including the Mehrgarh of the Neolithic and the Bronze
Age Indus Valley Civilization and later to kingdoms ruled by people of different faiths and cultures – each
of who have left their mark. It is a country that has the mythical and majestic mountains of the Himalaya,
the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram and it is also a country with the earthy romantic lore of the Thar
Desert. The virgin coastline, with accompanying sandy pristine beaches running playfully along the blue
waters of the Arabian Sea, welcome you from the South while centuries of history await you in all their
majesty at the Khyber Gate.
As Pakistan’s landscapes vary from fertile plains to vast deserts, from dense forests to hills and plateaus,
from the coastal areas of the South to the glaciated mountains of the North, each province and territory
has unusual geographical treasures, historical monuments and cultural heritage that we are delighted
to share with you in this book.
There is perhaps no other country that can boast of such a diverse palette of colors and sights. The North
of Pakistan forms the ‘roof of the world’, where 5 of the world’s 14 tallest peaks cast towering shadows,
and the road to them is the highest paved highway of the world, the famed Karakoram Highway. In the
heart of the mountains, one can see indigenous people spreading their vibrant culture with vivacity. The
highest polo ground of the world, Shandur is situated at an elevation of 12,200 feet.
From such dizzying heights, across the country Pakistan ends in the largest deep-sea port of the world
at Gwadar, where the warm waters sweep over pristine sandy beaches along the Southern coastline.
In between these two contrasting yet mesmerizing images lie the highly fertile plains of the Indus River,
where swaying grains of wheat in the wind look like shimmering gold, irrigated by the largest canal
system in the world.
Mughal architecture at its peak can be seen within the confines of the walled city of Lahore, with its
spacious mosques and monuments. The ancient cities of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa are present
towards the South while the fabled bazaars of Peshawar and Quetta are imprinted with the tales of
locals and travellers alike.
Pakistan is unique and yet, largely unknown. With this book we share with you some of the most
beautiful aspects of this wonderful land and invite you to discover Pakistan!
 The Kot Diji Fort is a 18th century Talpur-Era fort located in the town of
Kot Diji in Khairpur District. The fort sits above a pre-Harappan Civilization
archaeological site dating from 2500 to 2800 B.C.E

SINDH
Sindh is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, in the South East
of the country. Sindh is the third largest province of Pakistan by
area, and second largest province by population after Punjab.
Sindh’s landscape consists mostly of alluvial plains flanking the
Indus River, the Thar desert in the eastern portion of the province
closest to the border with India, and the Kirthar Mountains in the
western part of Sindh.

Sindh is known for its distinct culture which is strongly influenced

by Sufism, an important marker of Sindhi identity for both Hindus
and Muslims in the province. Several important Sufi shrines are
located throughout the province which attract millions of annual
devotees.
The Arabian Sea flows along both sides of Do Darya in Karachi.
The scenic food street offers a breathtaking experience of
metropolis.
 Keenjhar Lake commonly called ‘Kalri Lake’ is in Thatta
District. It is the second largest fresh water lake in Pakistan.

Manora located just south of the port of Karachi, is a peninsula connected

to the mainland by a 12-kilometer-long causeway called the Sandpit. At the
southern end of Manora is a lighthouse with range of 26 nautical miles..
Ranikot Fort is a historical fort near Sann, Jamshoro District. The fort is also
known as ‘The Great Wall’ of Sindh and is believed to be one of the world’s
largest forts with a circumference of approximately 32 km (20 miles).
Clifton Beach or most commonly known as Seaview in Karachi, is located
on the Arabian Sea. It stretches from Karachi to Ormara (Balochistan).
 The Katas Raj Temples also known as Qila Katas are several Hindu temples connected to
one another by walkways. The temples form a complex surrounding a pond named Katas
which is regarded as sacred by Hindus.

The temples are located near the town of Kallar Kahar, and are near the M2 Motorway.

PUNJAB
Punjab is Pakistan’s second largest province by area but also
the most populous. Lahore, the provincial capital, is a cultural
center of great historical significance. The province is home to the
magnificent Mughal architecture of the 16th and 17th centuries
as well as the cradle of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Punjab features heavily in the Hindu epic poem, the ‘Mahabharata’

and is home to Taxila, the site of what is considered by many to
be the oldest university in the world. Numerous sites of religious
significance for Sikhs and Hindus abound in the Punjab while
natural treasures such as the Salt Range are centers of local
tourism.
The historic Mau Mubarak Fort is one of the six upraised
forts built in during the 6th Century. The town itself is
located about 631 km south-west of Islamabad, the
country’s capital.
Emperor Qutb al-Din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of South Asia and builder of
the famous Qutab Minar in Delhi, is buried behind Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore.
He died in 1210 AD and his tomb was renovated in the early 1970’s.

Delhi Gate is one of six remaining historic gates of the Walled City of Lahore,
given the name as it opened east, in the general direction of Delhi. The Gate
and adjacent Shahi Hammam were restored in 2015 by the Aga Khan Cultural
Service Pakistan.

The 17th Century mausoleum built for Mughal Emperor Jehangir is located
along the banks of the River Ravi. The mausoleum building is divided into a
series of vaulted compartments which are richly embellished with Mughal buon
fresco. Carved screens admit light in various patterns facing Mecca.
 View of Murree Hills, a mountain resort town, located in the
Galiyat region of The Pir Panjal Range, within the Rawalpindi
District of Punjab.

Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan was constructed as a planned

city in the 1960s and is known for its high standard of living,
picturesque scenery and abundant greenery.

Badshahi Masjid is an architectural masterpiece located in

Lahore. Demonstrating the reach and cosmopolitan nature of
the Mughal Empire, the Emperor’s Mosque shows Indo-Greek,
Central Asian and Indian architectural influences in techniques
and motifs.
 The Derawar Fort in the Cholistan Desert glows under a red
moon. 30-metre-high bastions and walls surround the Fort
for a span of over 1.5 kilometers. The Fort was first built in
the 9th century during the reign of Rai Jajja Bhati.

The Wazir Khan Mosque is a 17th Century construction, located in the heart of Lahore, the capital of
Punjab. Commissioned during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the Wazir Khan Mosque
is part of an ensemble of buildings that include the nearby Shahi Hammam baths. The mosque took
seven years to build and was completed in 1641.
 A spectacular panorama of the Milky Way over Balochistan.

BALOCHISTAN
Balochistan is the largest and most sparsely populated province
in Pakistan. Although largely underdeveloped, the provincial
economy is blessed with natural resources, especially its natural
gas fields. Gwadar Port, a deep-sea port, also plays a significant
role in the future economic development of the province which
is noted for its unique culture and extremely dry, desert climate.

Balochistan is also home to one of the most ancient civilizations

in the region, Mehrgarh, a Neolithic (7000 BCE to c. 2500/2000
BCE) site located near the Bolan Pass on the Kacchi Plain of
Balochistan. Mehrgarh is now seen as a precursor to the Indus
Valley Civilization, displaying the whole sequence from earliest
settlement and the start of agriculture, to the mature Harappan
Civilization.
Zhob, formerly known as Fort Sanderman or Appozai, is a The Khojak Tunnel also known as Shela Bagh Tunnel, in Qilla Abdullah
city and district capital of Zhob District in Balochistan. Zhob is District of Balochistan was constructed in 1891 under the Khojak Pass and
located on the banks of Zhob River. remains one of the longest tunnels in South Asia, and the longest in Pakistan.
Quetta is the provincial capital and largest city of Balochistan, known for the large
variety of fruits and dry fruits produced there. The city is near the Bolan Pass
route which was once one of the major gateways from Central Asia to South Asia.
The Gwadar Port is a deep-sea port situated on the Arabian Sea at Gwadar Koh-i-Chiltan, is a peak located in the Chiltan mountain group of the Sulaiman
in Balochistan. The port features prominently in the China–Pakistan Economic Mountains, in the Balochistan. It is the third highest peak of Quetta after Zarghoon
Corridor (CPEC) plan, and is considered to be a link between the ambitious One Ghar and Koh-i Takatu, and fifth highest of Balochistan.
Belt, One Road and Maritime Silk Road projects.
Walking camels in the Desert of Dalbandin District Balochistan.
Dalbandin has a hot desert climate with extremely hot summers
and mild winters.
Bostan is a town, 30 km by road (18.64 miie) from Quetta city.
According to the Balochistan Gazeteer of 1901, the Bostan
railway station was used for transportation of agriculture goods to
Bombay (both areas then being part of British India).
 Kumrat is a valley in the Upper Dir District Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kumrat is
covered with green pastures, snow clad mountains, the river Panjkora, and
forests which house a variety of flora and fauna.

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is located in the Northwestern region of the
country. It was formerly known as North-West Frontier Province
(NWFP) and commonly called Sarhad, which means ‘frontier’ in
Urdu.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the site of the ancient kingdom of

Gandhara, the ruins of its capital, Pushkalavati (modern day
Charsadda) and the most prominent center of learning in the
Peshawar Valley, Takht-i-Bahi. It has been under the suzerainty of
the Persians, Greeks, Mauryans, Kushans, Shahis, Ghaznavids,
Mughals, Afghanistan, Sikhs and British and influences of each
are apparent in the architecture and arts of the region.
 Siran Valley, is a little-known valley, situated in Mansehra District, Khyber-
Pakhtunkhwa. Siran Valley is located right beside River Siran that originates
from the glaciers of Musa ka Musallah peak and Panj Nadi, follows through
Jacha, Mandagucha, Domail, Sacha, Jabori to Shinkyari and Manshera.

Islamia College is a public research university located in the midst of

Peshawar. Founded in 1913 with the personal initiatives of Sir S.A. Qayyum
and Sir George Roos-Keppel, it is one the oldest institution of higher education
in the country and its historical roots can be traced from the culminating point
of the Aligarh Movement.
Saiful Muluk is a mountainous lake located at the northern end of the
Kaghan Valley, near the town of Naran, in the north east of Mansehra District
and feeds water to the Kunhar river. At an elevation of 10,578 ft (3,224 m)
above sea level, it is well above the tree line and is one of the highest lakes
in Pakistan.
 Nathia Gali is a mountain resort town or hill station in Abbottabad District of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Nathiagali is known for its scenic beauty, hiking tracks
and pleasant weather. It is situated 32 kilometers at one hour’s drive away
from both Murree and Abbottabad, lying midway between these two places.

Khanpur Dam is a dam located on the Haro River near

Potowar Plateau in Tehsil Khanpur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Pakistan. About 40 km from Islamabad, the blue-green waters
of Khanpur Dam attract hundreds of tourists to Haripur District
in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Swat is a river valley and an administrative district. It is the upper
valley of the Swat River, which rises in the Hindu Kush range.
 Shandur Pass is located between Chitral District and Ghizer District of Gilgit-Baltistan
in North Pakistan as a common shared pass. It is often called the ‘Roof of the World’.
The top is a plateau that can be crossed between late April and early November.

Gilgit-Baltistan
Gilgit-Baltistan, formerly known as the Northern Areas, is the
Northernmost administrative territory in Pakistan. It borders
Azad Jammu & Kashmir to the south, the province of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa to the west, the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan to
the North, the Xinjiang region of China to the east and Northeast
and the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir to the
southeast.

Gilgit-Baltistan is home to some of the world’s highest mountains,

including five of the eight-thousanders. The main focus of attention
for many travelers is the world’s three highest mountain ranges,
the Karakoram, the Himalaya, and the Hindu Kush, with five
peaks over 8,000 meters and many peaks over 7,000 meters, and
having the largest glaciers in the world (other than those in the
polar region). Wild rivers and unique landscapes make this area
a “mountain paradise” for mountaineers, trekkers, and tourists.
 Ladyfinger Peak is a distinctive rock spire in the Batura
Muztagh, the westernmost subrange of the Karakoram
range in Pakistan. It lies on the southwest ridge of the
Ultar Sar massif.
Attabad Lake also known as Gojal
lake is a high-altitude natural lake
in Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan. The lake
was formed in January 2010 due to
a massive landslide on one of the
most fabled roads in the world, the
Karakoram Highway, also known
as the Silk Route. The lake is over
18 km long and 120 m deep at an
elevation of 2,500 m on Hunza
River.

The foundations of the Baltit Fort

Karimabad date back to 700 years
ago. Located in the Hunza Valley,
there is an unmistakable Balti
influence as in the 16th century the
local prince married a Balti princess
who brought master craftsmen from
Baltistan to renovate the building as
part of her dowry. The restoration
of the Baltit Fort in Hunza, has won
a number of awards, including the
2004 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage
Conservation Award for Excellence.
Khunjerab Pass, is a high mountain pass in the Karakoram Mountains in a The Cathedral Range, also known as the “Passu Cones” are one of the most
strategic position on the northern border of Pakistan and on the southwest striking landmarks on the Karakoram Highway. The jagged rocky peaks thrust
border of China. It has an elevation of 4,880 meters or 16,010 feet. skywards from the rest of the Karakoram Range forming an arresting sight.
 Astore, a valley 120 km long, is located in the north of The magnificent Hunza Valley is unparalleled in respect to its
Pakistan, in Gilgit-Baltistan. The valley is at the eastern natural beauty, varied seasons, juicy fruits, high mountain peaks and
face of Nanga Parbat, a peak 8,125 high, spectacular water streams. Hunza Valley is one of the most popular
tourist destinations in Pakistan in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan.

An isolated heaven of sheer beauty, Naltar lies tucked

away in Gilgit-Baltistan’s town nestled among snow-
topped peaks and towering forests.
 Tatta Pani, is a village in Poonch District, Azad Kashmir. It is 45 kilometers
from Rawalakot. It is located on the bank of Poonch river at the altitude of
2,237 feet. This village is famous for its springs of hot water contains sulphur.

AZAD JAMMU & KASHMIR

Azad Jammu and Kashmir, abbreviated as AJK and commonly

known as ‘Azad Kashmir,’ is a self-governing administrative
division of Pakistan. The territory shares a border with Gilgit-
Baltistan, together with which it is referred to by the United Nations
and other international organizations as ‘Pakistan administered
Kashmir’.

The northern part of Azad Jammu and Kashmir encompasses

the lower part of the Himalayas, including Jamgarh Peak 15,531
ft (4734 m). However, Sarwali peak in the Neelam Valley is the
highest peak in the state. Fertile, green, mountainous valleys are
characteristic of Azad Jammu & Kashmir’s geography making it
one of the most beautiful regions of the subcontinent.

The territory also borders Pakistan’s Punjab province to the south

and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to the west. To the east, Azad
Kashmir is separated from the state of Jammu and Kashmir by the
Line of Control, the de facto border between India and Pakistan.
Situated at 8,379 feet, the picturesque village of Arang Kel, is known as the
Pearl of Neelam Valley. The bow-shaped Neelam Valley is surrounded by thick
green lush pine trees and indescribable natural beauty.
Muzaffarabad, is the capital of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir. The district is
bounded by the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the west. According to Pakistan
District Education Ranking 2017, a report released by Alif Ailaan, Muzaffarabad is
ranked at number 6 nationally with an education score of 73.85
Kel is a village in Neelam Valley, Azad Kashmir. It is located 155 kilometers Kuttan is a picturesque location featuring snow-capped
from Muzaffarabad at an altitude of 6,879 feet (2,097 m) feet. Kel the central mountains, alpine lakes, evergreen forests and high river
location where Pakistan’s national animal markhor is found and it is one of valleys.
the hardest places to reach in winter.
Chitta Katha is a beautiful lake in the Shounter Valley of Kashmir at
an altitude of 13,500 feet. In the local language, Chitta Katha means
white stream.
Bhimber is a district headquarter, 50 Kilometers from Mirpur in Azad
Kashmir. It lies on the route that was followed by the Mughal Emperors
for their frequent visits to Kashmir valley.
 Islamabad Serena Hotel Faisalabad Serena Hotel Serena Khaplu Palace Serena Shigar Fort

Quetta Serena Hotel Swat Serena Hotel Gilgit Serena Hotel Hunza Serena Inn
 Picture Credits
Abdul Raphay Mohammad Umar Farooq
Abdul Rehman Khan Moiz Ismaili
Ahmed Bashir Muhammad Amir
Alamgir Jehangir Khan Muhammad Rafi Ullah
Ali Awais Muhammad Yasir Baloch
Ali Farhad Hameed Rameez Raja
Amna Akram Butt Said Muqeem
Aneela Khan Sania Nadeem
Arsalan Khan Saqib Ali Raja
Asghar Khan Saqib Mushtaq
Asim Ijaz Shafay Sohail
Awn Mehmood Simrah Ahmed
Aziz Changezi Talha Butt
Farjad Khan Umaima Tanveer
Ghezwan Shamshad Uzair Aziz
Hassan Mehmood Zeeshan Khadim
Junaid Ali Zia Hassan
Junaid Swati Zia Shah
Kaleem Ullah Zubaria Jan
Maria Saman

The Publisher owns almost none of the content used in the ‘Discover Pakistan’ booklet. The content is owned by the individual creators.
All images appearing in this booklet are the property of their respective owners.

www.serenahotels.com | www.twitter.com/serena_hotels | www.facebook.com/serenahotelsofficial | UAN 111-133-133