Khaplu - Chakchun Mosque 700 years old:








Being busy in sister marriage I could make my posting. Topic was marked on Chakchun Mosque some 700 years old. When I last visited Baltistan, Visiting this beautiful mosque on top of my list. The Chakchun Mosque is Iranian and Tibetan architecture situated in Khaplu.This mosque attributed to Sayyid Ali Hamadni, a noted local saint of the fifteenth century, is a typical example of a rectangular wooden structure. A lot work done by AKRSP. but it original look is always there. Mosques in Baltistan are mainly built in the Tibetan style, though several mosques constructed have wood-finish and decorations of Iranian origin similar available in Ladakh and Kargil. It is fact the people of these areas having very close association and attachment with people other side of the LoC.
On the way to Khaplu one can see different Khanqahs which are a kind of typical training school of Sufis which was introduced by the early Sufi saints arrived in the region.

Season of Trekking and climbing:


It is really a best season to go and see how Nanga Parbat (the killer mountain), (8125m (26657ft), will behave us. This year a large number of foreign tourists are pouring in. Either one can go via of Skardu-Deosai, Disney Cars. Islamabad-Chilas or Islamabad-Gilgit ( This can be access these routes. It is fun, it is adventure. Try it now.

July is month of Polo: How Polo is played at Shandur:

Polo is a passion in Northern Areas Areas.

Naltar (Phandar) Valley:



I did planning to go to Skardu, couldn’t materialized as yet due to marriage of my sister on 25 instant. Purpose of going there to have a documentary on Kharphocho an ancient Fort (1560-1625 AD ) by Sher Ali Anchan. If I could not make it than I would request one of my internet friend Khadim Hussain, popular on Internet due to his good work on that area, to please do the job. Till such time here is my posting on Naltar (Phandar) Valley which is also very attractive and I never miss it whenever I go there.

Naltar is the loveliest fully-day outing from Gilgit. About a two-hour drive away, it is an area of alpine meadows and pine forests 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) above sea level and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. the road up from Nomal climbs steeply through a rocky gorge to emerge on the fertile, high-altitude pastures.


MUSTANSAR HUSSAIN TARAR REALLY PROMOTED TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD::


Tourism and tourists activities are very vital for a country. Though in Pakistan tourism is growing industry and we are lucky to have a land of breathtaking natural beauty, shimmering lakes, peaks, and chain of several glaciers and high snow kissed mountains in Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindukush ranges. These are very attractive for the foreigners and local as well. It needs proper projection and development. Though government is spending money on it but most of its share goes waste due to unproductive activities and without any improvement. Government of Pakistan through Ministry of Tourism declared 2007 as visit Pakistan year. But due to law and order situation all it went wrong and lack of timely information for the intending foreign as well as domestic tourists. Contrary to that, if we see in our neighborhood, in Srinagar there were also situations like ours and later huge agitation in favour and against Amarnath on land transfer which could badly hit the tourism, notwithstanding tourists registered in that area are about 97 per cent in this season which was higher than the last year. In nutshell, statistic shows that about 5 million foreign tourists & 400 million domestic tourists visited India in 2007. While in Pakistan, figures was very dismal. About one million tourists visited Pakistan during 2007 which is not comparable in any case with our neighborhood who is now standing in top ten tourist generating countries. In Pakistan, this kind of decline is a matter of great concern especially for the Northern Areas where we have mother of mountains K2, Ferry Meadow, killer mountain Nanga Parbat, mighty KKH and some big glaciers. All this is due to lack of information about the peaceful tourist’s places in Pakistan, specially the Northern Areas. A large number of people, even some leading private t.v. channels are not aware of beautiful places of Northern Areas of Pakistan which are peaceful all time. Northern Areas is badly mingling with the Tribal Areas and people are confused due to not having proper guidance at the appropriate level. Therefore, it is very important to highlight the Northern Areas of Pakistan as one of the most peaceful area of Pakistan in a befitting manner so that foreigners as well as domestic tourists could differentiate the word ‘Tribal area (which is in NWFP and consisting some agencies) and the Northern Areas (starting from Besham, Chilas Gilgit and onwards). A few days Northern Areas Legislative Assembly approved a Resolution regarding re-naming of Northern Areas of Pakistan as Gilgit Baltistan with a view to keep its identity as peaceful area of Pakistan.

In promoting the tourism government must effectively launch a comprehensive policy and planning and get services of some experts in this field so that people could know about the actual demography of the area. In the tourism field only those people should be inducted who are relevant and having vast experience and knowledge to progress in this field. Secondly, it is very important to look for different channels that are already active but could not approach them one way or the other. These people are our assets and their services could be a source is a whiff of fresh air. It is relevant to quote only one example of literature or travel writing by one writer, which is appreciable as for as tourism is concerned. It is most powerful medium for promoting tourists activities. Some good of writers/travel writers are presently around you. Their contribution towards promotion of tourism and uplift of economic activities are commendable. If one talks about promotion of tourism at any level and specially in Northern Areas of Pakistan, he must have a name in his mind that is no other than but Mustansar Hussain Tarar, a legend travel writer, intellectual who devoted his life for that areas & visited Northern Areas like a vagabond, spend day and night in the mountains, glaciers, caves, terrain and plains fearlessly. By that he confronted with dangerous and inclement and harsh weather condition, but he continues his journey and never felt tired. His love, passion and untiring journey is long lasting which is depicted not only in his books written on the Northern Areas but also reflects in the hearts of people and will remained there for ever whether it is a Safarnama or a Novel, Northern Areas and Tarar are inevitable. There is no example of writing more than 12 books one particular area i.e. NAs. Some of his exclusive books on Northern Areas are as under:-
1. K-2 Kahani
2. Nanga Parbat
3. Berfeeli Bulandiyan (Snowy Heights)
4. Deosai
5. Hunza Dastaan
6. Chitral Dastaan (Chitral Tale)
7. Kaalaash
8. Safar Shumal Kay (Travels of the north)
9. Shamshaal Baimesaal (Extraordinary Shamshaal)
10. Snow Lake
11. Yaak Saraey (Yaak Inn)
He is a living legend and due to his Safarnamey on NAs, he is now, the best seller for the last 20 years. People of Nortehrn Areas are adored him and salute him whenever he visits that area. It is true that NAs are very attractive and foreigners and local tourists are fascinated by its beautiful valleys, mountains, glaciers and mighty KKH. Contribution made be this travel writer who is loved by the people of NAs from the core of their heart. A lot of people after his thoughts about the NAs are very impressed and are looking the NAs Administration for fulfillment of a small desire or wish, rather a tacit demand of the people of Northern Areas who are always very well known for their hospitality, to compassionate him for highlighting the Northern Areas locally and internationally. It is due to untiring efforts by that personality, the Northern Areas are now known and people of Northern Areas are indebted to him for these efforts. Number of tourists got temptation from his travelogue on NAs and visited almost all tourists’ places where he go and writes about that particular place. Therefore, it would be in the best of Northern Areas and for the sake of promoting tourism, the Northern Areas Administration must favourably consider his meritorious services and he be honoured and a road of Northern Areas be named after Mustansar Hussain Tarar Road, keeping in view his utmost love and passion for these areas, as wherever he goes he talked about Northern Areas and promote every engle i.e. historically, culturally, traditionally and ture picture of Northern Areas. He is very much people loving personality. Most of his Preambel dedicted to poor and downtrodden people of Northern Areas. Even when he intends to write a novel he starts from Northern Areas. He never forget the beuaty and attraction of this area; Dakia aur Jolaha (Postman and cloth-maker) is though a novel, however, its character was no other than but from the Northern Areas. That postman of Hashope (Shiger) has impressed him a lot and he walks side by side in his noval.

In July everywhere Polo : Shandur Polo Festival::


Shandur Pass: The road west of Gilgit leads to Shandur pass and Chitral with side road serving the valley of Ishkoman and Yasin. The western end of Gilgit valley is called Ghizar, a political district. The road continues west from Gilgit, through Gakuch, Gupis, Pingal, Phunder, Ghulak Muli, Tero, Barsat, Lunger and along the Ghizar River for about 180 kilometers and 8 hours to the Shandur pass and this river is famous for Trout Fishing.
The Shandur pass is blocked by snow from November to May. The top of the pass is flat and pastured at 3,734 meters from the sea level. The best time to visit shandur is end of June when the annual polo game is played on the Shandur pass between Gilgit and Chitral team at this time. You can camp there and watch the original polo matches for a couple of days and enjoy this thrilling game on the highest polo ground in the world.

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