Page 64 - Insight 2018

DIARY

DOMESTIC TOURS

ACROSS PAKISTAN

Awais Ali (Assistant Manager, HRBP) made a trip to Naran Valley or the
‘Little Heaven on Earth’ as he likes to call it. Naran is a medium-sized town
in Kaghan Valley, in Manshera District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
According to Awais, the beauty he witnessed on his way to Siri Payi was
unforgettable. He was especially taken aback by the magnificent hills, the
icy cold rivers, the chirping of birds, the presence of wildlife around him,
the freshness of the air and the overall charm of the valley. He believes
that there is a lot of beauty in Pakistan and recommends making local
trips to explore more of it.

Siraj Alam, (Assistant Manager, Finance (Tax)) travelled across Swat valley
– from Batkhela to Matta and Bahrain and to places like the White Palace
and Malam Jabba. The most memorable bits of his trip include making a pit
stop at Kalam to try Chapli Kebab, waking up to see the lush green towering
mountains and driving through Gaal (an extension of Utror) along the Utror
river to enter the narrow river valley (which was covered with cultivated lands,
deep forestation and honeybee farms). Other highlights of his trip include
trekking for 6 hours to camp on the north side of Kandol Lake. He got a great
view of the lake, as well as the opportunity to taste the local dairy delights there
such as cow cheese, lassi, butter, yogurt, corn flour bread, and some divine
tea. The trip came to an epic close by him making a stopover on his way back
in a forest, on top of a mountain, where he enjoyed the cool breeze filled with
the fragrance of pine cones. This was followed by a dinner in Bahrain, which
according to him, included the best Dumba Karahi he had ever tasted.

Saqlain Sher (Senior Manager, HR) visited Mohenjo daro with his family,
which is also famously known as ‘The Mound of the Dead’ and is
situated in the old Indus Valley Civilisation; an archaeological site in the
province of Sindh, Pakistan. During his visit, his tour guide enlightened
him regarding the history of the site, which is as old as the civilisations
of ancient Egypt and Greece. Amongst the notable artifacts that were
found during excavation include the bronze statuette of the ‘Dancing Girl’
carved seals, balanced scales and weights, gold and jasper jewellery,
and children’s toys. These artifacts are currently being conserved at
the National Museum of Pakistan in Karachi. However, Saqlain is of the
view that the Government of Pakistan needs to make efforts to preserve
this historical site, and take measures to promote tourism so that it can
contribute positively to the economy of the country.

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