Heritage Magazine Issue #28

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CONTENTS
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A HOME OF RICH HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
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ISSUE 28
Joy of Spring
The spring season is a symbol of
renewal and transformation. The ice
and snow subside, chilly temperatures rise to a more moderate and
bearable degree.
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Lahore From the top of
Double-Decker Bus
Princess of Hope
Scientifically Proven
With balloons, beads and straws as
her tools, she creates a learning
environment, which feels more like
a celebration, and less like a conventional science lesson.
Sri-Lanka
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It is a mixed bag of treats…from
casinos to wildlife parks to exotic
food, colourful shops and a great
nightlife
Point Of Focus
The importance of D I Khan cannot
be over looked at any cost because
this unique city has 4 to 5 access
points and can become a very
attractive and prosperous centre of
industrial and economic activity.
Gwadar
Situated on the coast of Arabian Sea,
Gwadar is your ultimate getaway
destination. The breathtaking views
and pristine crystal clear blue water
beaches transport you to a world of
relaxation and tranquillity.
Fruit of Paradise
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If I had to mention a fruit that
descended from paradise, I
would say that it is because the
paradisiacal fruits do not have pits
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Students as Link Between
Cultures
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Majestic Snow Leopard
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Are you emotionally
intelligent?
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Wonders of Salt Range
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Pakistan’s Literary Giants
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The Sweetness of Gur
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From Jamrud to Turkham
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The excitement is unmatched.
The sights are ancient. The fun is
doubled.
The Princess of hope is a mud
carved naturally occurring statue
like structure which bears resemblance to the Silhouette of a standing woman.
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Snow Leopard has been a legendary
and sort of mysterious animal,
mostly we heard of it, in tales and
watched in movies and to see it with
naked eyes was an exciting thing.
After a journey of about two and
half hours from Lahore towards
Islamabad on Motorway (M2), we
enter in the dramatic landscape of
rugged hills and strange rocks of
different colors and shapes.
The sweetness in life comes not
from gold nor from a flashy city life;
it comes from tasting a piece of gur.
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Our Heritage is an in-house magazine of Hashoo Group-Hotel Division. No part of it may be
reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Views expressed are those of the
writers and not necessarily those of Editorial Board. Responsibility of the contents of the
advertisements lies with advertisers. Our Heritage is published by Pakistan Services Limited for
Hashoo Group-Hotel Division.
This magazine has been prepared by Events, Marketing & Communications Department,
Pakistan Services Limited
For advertisements and articles for this magazine,
marketing-related proposals, joint promotions and cobranding etc. with Hashoo Group Hotels, please contact
Vice President
Events, Marketing & Communications Department
NESPAK House, Ground Floor, Ataturk Avenue
G-5/2, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-2272890-98 • Fax: +92-51-2274812
Email: tahir.khan@hashoohotels.com
EDITORIAL BOARD
Andrew Ashmore
Tahir Mahmood Khan
Arslan Ahmed
Editor’s Note
E-mail: pchk@pchotels.com
Hashoo Hotels’ awards-winning in-house magazine “our
Heritage”, enables the readers to learn about our heritage sites,
historical values, traditions and cultures, ecology, and the latest
trends of Pakistan. This magazine has been instrumental in
promoting Pakistan’s positive image at the international level.
E-mail: pchl@pchotels.com
I am very thankful to my team members, contributors, and the
management of Hashoo Hotels for their outright support.
E-mail: pchr@pchotels.com
The readers’ valuable suggestions have also played a pivotal role
in further improving the quality of the magazine.
E-mail: pchp@pchotels.com
TAHIR MAHMOOD KHAN
E-mail: pchb@pchotels.com
EDITOR, OUR HERITAGE
E-mail: pchm@pchotels.com
E-mail: zpchg@pchotels.com
E-mail: imh@marriottislamabad.com
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The spring season is a symbol of renewal and transformation. The ice and
snow subside, chilly temperatures rise to a more moderate and bearable
degree. The flowers that wilted away leaving a barren land and numerous
trees that stood bare in the frigid months flourish into their former majesty.
By: Maria
Vibrant and fragrant flowers rise
from a slumber. It is hard not to
admire Mother Nature’s pictureperfect presentation of the season
that lies in limbo between the winter
and summer months. The sloth like
behavior people become accustomed
to in winter, fades at the arrival of
spring, as it energizes and refreshes
each individual helping everyone to
pick up the pace and become as lively
as they once were. Friends and family
rejoice, picnics and outdoor games in
the park become the norm, inviting
an active lifestyle that was subdued
in the preceding months. For those
unfortunate souls that suffer from
allergies, spring presents itself as a
battlefield for the immune system.
It is essential to take proper steps to
defend one’s self by taking adequate
amounts of vitamin C and allergy
medicine.
In spring nature awakens and adorns
itself with a floral spectacle, plants
and trees sprout new leaves and
flowers bloom. A profound effect can
be seen on the wildlife as well.
An array of flower species grow from
bulbs, Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths
stand out with their graceful petals
and eye catching colors. Various other
species bloom in the season such
as: Agapanthus, Amaryllis, Crane
Fasnacht Carnival - Switzerland
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flowers, Cherry blossom, Heather,
Orchids, Peony, Rose and many
more.
Roses are some of the most popular
in the world, recognized as a symbol
of beauty and love, it comes as no
surprise, as they come in numerous
colors, sizes, attributes, and they are
aesthetically appealing, having the
most alluring fragrance known to
man. Roses were considered sacred
by the ancient Egyptians; they have
been found in tombs and were used
as offerings for Isis. When it comes
to gift giving, roses are the primary
choice around the world. They are
cultivated all across the globe and
Netherland is the leading exporter of
roses.
Spring time brings with it an
energetic vibe, the number of
daylight hours increases and many
countries around the world celebrate
festivals and events in the season.
Fasnacht Carnival - Switzerland
Each year, since more than about
700 ago, the residents of Basel in
Switzerland gather 4AM on Monday
in mid February and celebrate the
colorful mardi-gras like carnival.
Fasnacht also take center stage in
Luzern (6 days from 23 February
2017); Zurich and other places
all over Switzerland on different
dates. Thousands of Swiss dressup in fancy costume to join the
parade - some with their musical
instruments in joyful cacophony, with
a prayer chasing away the winter and
welcoming the arrival of the spring.
Las Fallas - Spain Las Fallas in Valencia, Spain starts
on March 1 with an extravagant
display of booming fireworks
(mascletà). It continues every day
till March 19. The celebrations are
extensive and even on days leading
to the festival, the atmosphere
is lively and music is in the air.
Las Fallas honors St. Joseph
and the traditional celebrations
revolve around the massive paper
mache puppets (fallas). Entire
Las Fallas - Spain neighborhoods take pride in making
these puppets, they may depict
characters relating to political satire.
A lot of time, energy and money is
spent in these creations. Wood paper
and wax is used to make them.
The celebrations continue with
parades, food stalls, firecrackers
and the party spirit climaxes on the
final day with spectacular firework.
A bonfire is staged and the fallas are
set fire to, thus the fiesta comes to a
dramatic end.
The celebrations take
place in spring with nature
itself in full bloom, instill
an air of vitality in not
just the land, but in all
the living beings too. The
desolation of winter fades
in this season nature’s life
cycle is most visible from
death to rejuvenation.
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Songkran Festival - Thailand
It is a three day water festival
linked to the Thai New Year and is
celebrated in mid-April, it is the
most popular celebration in the
country.
Everyone stepping out
to the streets during the
Songkran festival will
inevitably be drenched in
the water. According to
tradition, the Thai people
consider this a time
to pay respect to their
family, neighbors and the
elderly, they reflect upon
themselves and cleanse
their soul.
They bring food to the monks;
bathe Buddha statues in water. For
good fortune and prosperity, the
youngsters pour scented water on
the hands of the elderly.
Elsewhere on the streets is a playful
atmosphere where Thais engage in
water battles with locals and tourists
alike, water pistol fights, water
balloons and buckets of water in
every directions are to be expected.
As the temperatures rise, this
festival is set conveniently allowing
everyone to cool off and have lots of
fun.
Cherry Blossoms - Japan
In Japan, people follow a tradition
every spring where friends and
family gather for picnics beneath the
breathtaking cherry blossom trees.
The immense and fleeting beauty
of nature, evident in this season
symbolizes life’s transitional nature
for the Japanese. Weather conditions
vary and therefore cherry blossom
season arrives at different times
across Japan. When the Cherry
Blossoms or Sakura are in bloom,
the people of Japan go out for
parties, gatherings and barbeques
to celebrate the elegance of the
plentiful trees.
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Holi Festival - India
The Annual Pakistan Flower Show
It is organized by the Horticultural
Society of Pakistan and is held
annually in February at Sea View
Park, Karachi. It presents artfully
created flower décor, installations,
arrangements and a variety of exotic
flowers and plants are exhibited.
This extravaganza was first held in
1948.
Songkran Festival - Thailand
A large audience is attracted to this
show. Competitions are held for
amateur and professionals so they
may display their unique creations.
The main purpose of this show is to
create awareness of the importance
of a clean, green environment and
inspire people to learn more about
plants and flowers.
The visitors feel uplifted by spending
time in such a pleasant and serene
environment, it is an escape from the
humdrum of daily life for all those
who attend and participate.
Holi Festival - India
In March, the first full moon signals
the start of Holi This popular Hindu
festival is surrounded by many
legends and tales. Its vibrant, fun
filled nature makes it a great tourist
attraction. You see people splattered
in vivid colors, laughing, dancing
and having a wonderful time. Holi
celebrates the end of winter’s grip.
People light bonfires, symbolic of
celebrating the triumph of good
over evil. The ash is sacred, and
its application to the forehead is
believed to ward off evil. This is a
day for friends and family to rejoice,
a time when even strangers are
included in the celebrations and no
one is left out
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Lahore
From The Top Of
A DoubleDecker Bus
By: Khuzaima Fatima Haque
The excitement is unmatched.
The sights are ancient. The fun
is doubled, and the journey is
an extremely memorable one.
Sightseeing Lahore with a tag line
true to its core Lahore Lahore hai
is one of the best additions to the
cultural landscape of the city. A
joint venture of the Government
of Punjab and the Tourism
Development Cooperation Punjab
Sightseeing Lahore is a tour that
takes its travellers around thirtysix spectacular landmarks spread
over Lahore on an open roof-top
double-decker bus, the first of its
kind in Pakistan with a total capacity
of sixty-seven people – forty-nine
people can sit on the upper deck and
eighteen on its lower deck.
The aim of starting this wonderful
venture has been fourfold. Firstly,
“We wanted to introduce an
international practice of tours by
bus within cities,” explains Nayyer
Qasim, Manager Operations,
Sightseeing Bus Service, TDCP. All
over the world this is quite the norm
but Pakistan till November 25th, 2015
lacked this service. Thus nearly two
months back, the government and
TDCP joined hands to introduce one
of the most memorable rides in
Pakistan. Secondly, the bus service
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also aims to promote a softer image
of Pakistan on the international front
– something we direly need at the
moment. The third aim of the project
was to promote domestic tourism
as well as attract foreigners to local
destinations. Lastly, one of the most
important goals was to introduce and
let the new generation of Pakistan
know about the history of the city
and inculcate a feeling of pride in
them about this. Since
the bus ride covers
destinations connected to
the British era, the Mughal
era and the modern times,
youngsters are especially
encouraged to take this trip to get
to know about the rich heritage and
cultural importance of the city they
are part of.
The bus ride is a regular feature of
Lahore’s cultural scene now. At the
moment, regular rides take place
between 8:30 to 12 on weekdays.
These are specifically run for
educational institutes including
schools, colleges and universities. A
subsidized rate of only five thousand
rupees is charged for a total of sixtyfive students. On their return to the
Terminal 1, the students are quizzed
over the information that the guide
has given them. The ride is made
extremely interactive and fun-filled
for the youngsters. For regular
tourists, a total of 8 trips are made
by the buses every weekend and
six on weekdays. The morning trips
are non-stop one and half hour long
rides, while the evening trips run
between 5 and 6:30 in the evening
allow an hour long break at the
food street. Here the travellers are
dropped off at Terminal 2 situated at
the Fort road and allowed to roam
about the streets of old Lahore, have
dinner or snacks at the food street
and explore the rich heritage of the
old city or admire its architecture
by night. The charges are quite
nominal and some of the lowest as
compared to the city tours conducted
in the world. Adults are charged two
hundred rupees while children under
ten can travel for free and students
get a discount of fifty percent on
showing their student identity card.
The management must also be given
full marks for the security measures
that it has undertaken. The terminals
are situated in very secure premises
that are guarded by security guards
and secured by scanning machines.
Then there is no room for a hop on
and hop off facility. Additionally, if
foreign tourists decide to take the
ride, the management provides
security guards onboard with the
fleet. Before every ride, the Traffic
Police is asked for route clearance
and if need be the route is diverted
if there is any trouble on the road.
The Police force is also kept affront
of all activities and called in if the
management feels the need for its
presence.
As colourful as the landscape and
culture of Lahore, the double decker
buses themselves are a sight to hold.
Showcasing the landmarks of Lahore
on a bright red background, the bus
itself adds to the excitement and
colour of the ride. “The design on
the buses has been locally designed
and was later sent to international
vendors to print,” adds Qasim.
The unique selling point of
this ride is the commentary
of the tour guide, a rather
smart youngster who takes
pride in explaining the
details of the landmarks,
interspaced with jokes
about the Mental Hospital
that is part of the route
taken by the bus.
“Did you know that Lahore Zoo is the
fourth oldest zoo in the world? Why
is Ferozpur Road called so? Who is
Lahore named after? Did you know
that the Mall Road was called the
thandi sarak (the cold road) and the
temperature on it always stayed 5
degree less as compared to the rest
of the city because of the shade of
the trees that lined the road?” says
the guide in his loud voice. Ask him
anything about Lahore and he has a
ready answer for you.
The bus ride starts at Terminal 1, a
rather beautifully designed colourful
terminal with a couple of wooden
benches for its travellers who can
be seen waiting quite eagerly for
the ride to begin near the football
ground at the Punjab Stadium in
Lahore. Then it follows the famous
canal and then moves towards the
old city passing through the Mall
Road. On its way the guide explains
the weekly practice of the special
tradition of dhamal at the Shah
Jamal’s Mazar every Thursday night
by two national artists Pappu Sai
and Gunga Sai and their teams. The
Lawrence Garden with the Quaide-Azam Library and the reason for
building the halls that served as
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ball rooms in the British era and
that later formed the library area is
also explained in detail. Later on,
the history of the Halls Road and
the hall that the British constructed
for their social gatherings is also
explained. The Diyal Singh Mansion
and its importance in history is
also revealed to a rather surprised
audience. The Governor House,
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the Chief Minister’s Secretariat
and the Charing Cross are other
landmarks that are mentioned
during the trip. The guide explains
that the General Post Office was
built to commemorate Queen
Victoria’s golden jubilee and
replaced the telegraph office of the
Anarkali Bazaar. He also tells of
the Tollington Market that was built
in 1964 as the Punjab Exhibition
Hall and remodelled by Sir Ganga
Ram and now has been recently
restored and converted as Lahore
Heritage Museum. The Kim’s Gun
and the recently built Bird House
right next to it are two landmarks
from two different eras that must
not be missed. The Mazar of Hazarat
Al-Hajveri Data Ganj Bakhsh and
Badshahi Mosque are two other
important sites on the way. The
Lahore Fort, a World Heritage Site
is also seen from the bus. The guide
then also explains in very patriotic
terms the historical importance
of the Minar-e-Pakistan and the
significance of its design as a blend
of Mughal, Islamic and modern
architecture. This is the point where
the driver takes a U-turn and this
is from where the return journey
starts.
The ride back to Terminal
1 is made all the more
exciting with national
patriotic songs and
cultural melodies blaring
out of the bus’s stereo
system. As the trip comes
to a close one can feel
the national spirit evoked
and that learning about
one’s cultural heritage is a
lesson learnt for life. Each
one of the traveller seems
thoroughly entertained
and all the more wiser and
knowledgeable than he or
she was before they took
the ride.
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Princess
of Hope
The Princess of hope is a mud carved naturally occurring
statue like structure which bears resemblance to the
Silhouette of a standing woman. It is found in the Hingol
national park area and lies on the Makran coastal
highway in Baluchistan. The name Princess of hope was
given to this structure by Hollywood actress Angelina
Jolie on her visit to this area while acting as the UN
ambassador of goodwill in 2002.
By: Dr. Babur Zahiruddin.
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I have traveled across the length
and breadth of Pakistan, from the
Khunjerab pass to the desolate areas
of Balochistan from the Broghil pass
near the Wakhan Corridor to the vast
sandy beaches of Makran.
The more I travel across the
beautiful regions of Pakistan, the
more I realize how little I know about
the vast expanse of the beautiful
wilderness, breath-taking scenery
and eye catching views that exist
in abundance, just waiting to be
explored.
This time my training assignments
took me to Karachi from where over
the weekend I made a programme to
visit Hingol national park.
As I was making this programme
for Baluchistan many people
discouraged me from going there
citing reasons of law and order
situation and the hostility of the local
population.
The reason for this caution and fear
is obvious as the area beyond coastal
highway in Balochistan does not
feature well in the news. Secondly
the Makran Coastal highway is
located quite far away from the
centre of Karachi and at a distance of
250 km and a five hours drive.
I brushed aside all these
apprehensions and worries and
made a firm resolve to visit Hingol
Natioanl Park and pay my respects
to Princess of Hope.
It was early Sunday morning when
I replied to the call of the Moazzin
after that I got dressed, had my
breakfast in the PNS Karsaza Mess
and waited for my driver to come
and pick me up which he did at about
7:00 am.
The morning traffic was light and
I made my way across the empty
streets of Karachi. I opened my car
windows to sniff the aromatic aroma
of the early October cool breeze
coming from the sea.
My driving took me to the national
highway N-25, which can be
accessed from HUB in Lasbela
district near Karachi which is the
border belt between Sindh and
Balochistan. Crossing HUB you
go past the Gadani beach which is
famous for its ship breaking industry
and you can also go to Wander and
Somiani beaches.
The Makran Coastal Highway starts
about 10 kms short of a place called
Uthal a city of Lasbela district with
a clear blue sign indicating the
direction.
While N-25 continues due north, the
Makran Coastal Highway branches
off towards west (left). Much before
the village of Sangal, you will find
dirt track leading to Chandargup
towards your left. Chandargup is
the highest mud volcano in the area
and revered by the Hindus for their
pilgrimage.
Another important place to visit is
a Hindu temple called Nani Mandir
(Hinglag Mata), which is off the main
highway by 6 kms. In order to visit
Nani Mandir you must have a good
sturdy 4x4 vehicle as normal cars
cannot reach this Mandir because of
the poor road condition. Nani Mandir
is an important Hindu pilgrimage
site. The visit or the pilgrimage to
this site is also called ‘Nani Ka Haj’.
Continuing my journey on the
Makran Coastal Highway after
crossing the Hingol River, I reached
the Kund Malir Beach. From here the
coastal highway moves directly up
north entering into the BUZI Pass.
Flanked by the mud-mountains, the
road starts to turn towards west
(left). From here one would first
come across the Sphinx and then the
Princess of Hope.
Going further west, the road started
to descend towards Rudeni Band
and would finally lead to the Ormara
seaport. The same road continues
west towards Gwadar, but that is a
long drive ahead. For a day’s journey,
one should not go beyond Ormara,
unless arrangements for a nightstay at Ormara are made in advance.
All of you must have heard about the
beaches of Thailand and Caribbean,
but let me assure you that the
beaches of Makran Coastal Highway
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are far more fascinating and
beautiful than the ones mentioned
above.
These are pristine crystal clear blue
water beaches which are in isolation
and wilderness and no inhabitation
is visible for miles and miles ect for
a few fishing villages.
Furthermore, I found that Balochis,
like all Pakistanis are very hospitable
by nature. I did not encounter many
people on my way to the Kund Malir
beach. On the beach itself, I met
many fishermen who were extremely
friendly and generously offered me
some of their catch which I politely
declined.
The coast of Makran has muddy
hills with very fast moving winds
blowing throughout the year. These
fast winds cut through the muddy
hills and mountains and can result
in a natural rock formations shaped
like a standing lady (PRINCESS OF
HOPE) or sphinx.
The huge man made
Sphinx in Giza, Egypt
is viewed by countless
tourists from across the
globe with awe and praise
for those who made it.
But there is one natural
feature in the remote area
of the Makran coastal
region of the Balochistan
province of Pakistan that
resembles much the same
as the Egyptian Sphinx and
is worth a visit.
compare it with the Makran Coastal
Highway beautiful scenery.
Other than the amazingly smooth
road, the Makran Coastal Highway
bears stunning natural rock
formations on both sides and it’s a
pleasure to watch these as you drive
past.
A stainless carpet-like road
surrounded by mountains with
camels sauntering on both sides
of the track, the Makran Coastal
Highway is sheer joy to drive on. It is
not difficult to forget that you’re just
a couple of hours away from Karachi.
The freshness of air, ozone filled
environment, creates the setting for
a long enjoyable drive which remains
fresh in your memory for times to
come.
For those who have seen the
American Grand Canyon and the
Egyptian Pyramids, you can form
a rosy sketch in your mind and
It is recommended that since the
journey is quite long and there are
no shops / Khokha after Zero Point
(at the start of the Makran Coastal
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Highway), you should plan your
journey in advance be well-equipped
with all necessary arrangements
specially food, snacks, water and
have your vehicle tank topped up at
HUB.
Another peculiar feature of this
area is that mobile signals fade out
as soon as you reach Zero Point so
make a brief stopover at Uthal and
make your necessary calls before
leaving that area.
So next time you are in Karachi for
business or pleasure make sure
to visit Hingol National Park and
pay your respects to the Princess
of Hope on the Makran Coastal
Highway.
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With balloons, beads and straws as
her tools, she creates a learning
environment, which feels more
like a celebration, and less like a
conventional science lesson. If one
ever happens to walk in on one of
these sessions, one would most
likely see students blowing up
balloons to design rockets as they
animatedly discuss Newton’s laws.
Or perhaps hear them talk about
atoms and molecules to understand
how they can peel back the layers of
the world and look into things that
make things.
This is Lalah Rukh Fazal-UrRahman, co-founder at Science
Fuse, a social enterprise based in
the UK and Pakistan.
Science Fuse intends to
change the way science
is perceived, practiced
and narrated across
classrooms in Pakistan.
It aims to bring science
alive in classrooms and to
stretch the STEM-learning
experience beyond
textbooks and monologues.
Instead, curiosity,
questions and creative
chaos are the fuels that
drive their learning
sessions.
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While Lalah Rukh was studying
Biotechnology at the Norwegian
University of Life Sciences, she
started working as a science
communicator at a social enterprise
committed to promoting an interest
in STEM (science, technology,
engineering and mathematics)
education among young learners
in Norway. For the last five years,
her work involved putting together
STEM adventures for young learners
By: Khuzaima Fatima Haque
and teachers across classrooms in
Norway.
“I soon realized I had a huge passion
for telling science stories and
for making people feel very, very
passionately about science,” says
Lala Rukh. Three years back she
had an opportunity to share this
excitement with school going kids
organize a two-week long STEM
summer camp open to students of
private schools. Alongside this they
visited three low-income schools
to conduct STEM workshops with
them and invited their students for
a week long pro bono camp held at
The Aman Foundation. The programs
were a huge success and were loved
immensely by parents, children
and the schools they worked with.
However Lalah Rukh’s work place
decided not to invest in further
projects in Pakistan as they were
still trying to stabilize themselves in
Norway.
This is when Science Fuse came into
being.
in Pakistan. She partnered with her
workplace in Norway to organize an
interactive science workshop with
students at The Garage School – a
charitable institute based in Nelum
Colony in Karachi. This time her
bags were filled with things to blow
giant soap bubbles and explode
water bombs. For four hours a group
of thirty students got an opportunity
to think and work like scientists,
while having fun at the same time.
When it was over they were all
asking the same question: ‘when will
you be back?’ Clearly it didn’t matter
which part of the world she was in,
giving children a chance to combine
science learning with play equally
exciting for children everywhere.
“My experience with children in
Pakistan compelled me to convince
the organization I was working
at in Norway to help me test a
full-fledged summer program
in Karachi. They came on board
and we collaborated with some of
the leading schools in Karachi to
“I realized I couldn’t give
up just now. I felt it was
particularly important to
continue with these efforts
in Pakistan as tragically
most school-going kids
in our country experience
science as a mere
collection of facts that they
are made to memorize and
recall during exams.
They grow up thinking that science is
some abstract nonsense that doesn’t
have much relevance to anything
they can directly see or touch. We’re
also a country where science doesn’t
occupy much space in popular
culture,” adds Lalah Rukh.
Having said that, so how has
been the response from parents,
educationists and school
administrations where Science Fuse
workshops have been conducted?
“From the very first workshop we
conducted at The Garage School
in Karachi, the students’ response
has been overwhelmingly great.
Their enthusiasm has been the
driving force behind our continued
efforts to take Science Fuse ahead.
Also despite the fact that Pakistan
doesn’t have many informal STEM
learning environments, we’ve felt
ourHeritage 15
that parents, educators and school
administrations understand the
importance of introducing and
nourishing such concepts. It is
however difficult at times to convince
parents and some educational
organizations in the country that
learning can take many different
forms, it ISN`T only about finding out
Learning Tree and many more.”
“I believe that science isn’t just
a subject you teach or learn at
school; it is in fact our ticket to
understanding the universe. It’s
vital that we not only change our
children’s perception towards
science but, also, through the
since the last two years. However
in this short time span they have
managed to collaborate with some
of the biggest names within the field
of education in Pakistan. Currently
they are planning collaborations with
The Children’s Literature Festival,
AKU Education Board and Lawrence
College Murree. Apart from catering
to private school
students they have also
reached out to students
from charitable/public
schools such as The
Garage School, Sabina
Khatri’s Kiran School
and DCTO Academy
in Lyari, The Reading
Room Project and
Humaira Bachal’s
Dream Model School.
“Over the next ten years
we see ourselves
new facts,” explains Lalah Rukh.
“We have been immensely lucky
to have Haque Academy as our
collaborating school for many
programs over the last two years. Their
help and support has enabled us to
bring our programs to a great number
of students in Karachi from some of
the biggest schools in the country
such as Atchison College Lahore,
Bayview School, Convent of Jesus and
Mary, Karachi Grammar School, The
16 ourHeritage
process of teaching science, allow
them to see themselves and the
world differently,” adds Lalah
Rukh. Thus Lalah Rukh herself
and a colleague, Rizwana Khalid
form the core designer team. Their
responsibility is to design, test and
take the new activities/experiments
to the classrooms.
At present, Science Fuse is a
relatively young social enterprise and
have only been operating in Pakistan
inspiring the next generation of
scientists and thinkers in Pakistan.
We wish to promote a culture
of critical thinking and a love
for science amongst children,
youngsters and even adults in the
country,” adds Lalah Rukh.
On their lists of to do things is
developing entertaining science
shows, drama characters and
storytelling sessions which will
engage young minds with science
in an informal environment.
Science Fuse will also be testing
their teacher-training workshops
very soon. “So far our work and
philosophy have met with great
interest and enthusiasm as very few
people are working within the field of
science communication in Pakistan.
We hope that we can inspire more
schools to join hands with us
and especially incorporate these
programs as part of their regular
school routine,” adds Lalh Rukh.
The success of Science Fuse lays
greatly on its team members. Lalah
Rukh’s husband and Co-Founder of
Science Fuse, Faseeh Shams handles
the management of the financial side.
He also manages the design and all
the business aspects of Science Fuse.
“I wanted to become a part of
something that would enable me to
give back to my home country. I also
find the idea of combining science
education with fun greatly inspiring
and exciting to work on,” explains
Shams’s motivation behind joining
Science Fuse.
Meanwhile, three of our team
members Bilal Mustafa, Habiba
Mansoor and Rizwana Khalid have
recently joined the team and are
spearheading the organization’s
activities in Lahore. Bilal is a lawyer
by profession; Habiba works at
Nestle and Rizwana has done her
MPhil in International Relations.
Additionally, Javeria Chaudary is
based in Oslo, Norway. She helps
develop new programs focusing on
integrating mathematics with the
other sciences.
Another valuable member of the
team based in Karachi is Farah
Arif, who has been working as an
assistant at the sessions. Farah’s
father delivers water tankers to
homes in DHA and her mother is
strongly against her efforts for
pursuing further education. However,
her father’s support has enabled her
to come work for Science Fuse and
she has been a great resource. Arif
is the most enthusiastic and hardworking member of the team. “My
father delivers water in a tanker to
Lalah Rukh’s house.
That is how I met
her and she invited
me to tag along to a
summer camp she was
conducting for children
in a school and help her
teach there. I eagerly
went along because this
was a chance to learn
something new. I sat
amongst children who
came from a very elite
class. It was awkward
at first because they
spoke so well and I felt
out of place but I soon
started to really enjoy
this new job of mine.
She gave me a lot of
responsibilities and it
felt great take them on.
Lalah Rukh makes me
believe I can be a good
teacher one day and
I think I have started
believing that too,” says
Arif.
While Pakistan doesn’t
have many informal
learning environments,
parents, educators and school
administrations understand the
importance of introducing and
nourishing such concepts. However,
a little coaxing is always required
because not everyone here is equally
familiar with innovative ideas being
tested out around the world in the
field of education. So best of luck to
the team of Science Fuse! Trust me,
today, Pakistan needs it more than
any other country!
ourHeritage 17
Āyubōvan!!
By: Maria Tahir
Āyubōvan!!
(Salutation wishing the recipient a long life)
Sri Lanka seems impossibly near to Pakistan yet after
years of planning, I finally managed a two week trip
to Sri Lanka: the best possible way to kick off the new
year: not only is it safe, it is a mixed bag of treats…
from casinos to wildlife parks to exotic food, colourful
shops and a great nightlife.
The sea itself is somehow bluer, and the tiny winding
streets happier and the trees taller and prouder than
any I have seen. More importantly, unbelievable blend
of Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, and Muslims, of
temples mosques churches and cathedrals, of shops
cafes teashops spas and beaches, is never-endingone can be standing in a temple which caters for both
Hindus and Buddhists. It is the most heart-warming
thing I have ever seen.
When you drive through Colombo, you see colourful
shops, grand old hotels, palm trees and King Coconut
all along the same road. Colombo itself is a fun
place to be for shopping. Shopping is surprisingly
reasonable for the quality stuff one finds on every
corner, especially the wonderfully
touristy shops offering colourful
elephant knickknacks and glorious
beach flip flops of every kind. Colombo
itself offers a myriad of fun things to
do which include eating at the Ministry
of Crab the restaurant itself was also
voted one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants
last year, shopping at the Arcade and
Odels and going to the Mount Lavinia
beachside restaurants. Colombo hosts
the Gangaram Temple which is also worth
a visit, for its museum, Budhist and Hindu
shrines. There is some truly amazing
seafood to be found. The local food itself
is very exotic, hoppers are a staple that
one gets used to very easily. Taking a
roadside break and recharging with a
fresh thambili (king coconut). For just
18 ourHeritage
Rs 20 you’ll get a super refreshing
drink. Don’t forget to scoop out the
delicately sweet coconut flesh after
you’re finished.
Sri Lanka is famous for
some legendary sacred
religious sites, including
Adam’s Peak and the
temple I chose to go to,
The Temple of the Tooth in
Kandy built in 1595 to hold
the single most sacred
object in all of Sri Lanka the tooth of the Buddha.
After seeing so many stupas and
dagobas, this was truly amazing.
You have to go inside, the building
is beautiful, the carving so intricate
and colourful- truly beautiful. The
tooth is supposed to have reached
Sri Lanka in the 4th Century and has
faced a lot of violent history. The
temple is beautiful and one finds a
sanctuary in every corner of its lotus
filled halls.
The north began after Kandy. I spent
a night therein a hotel that reminded
me of Gone with the Wind more than
anything else—with fish so fresh you
could still taste the sea in it—and
the next day we entered Elephant
country. We drove up
along narrow highways
full of electrified wire to
keep the elephants in
their corridors.
My next stop, after
visiting the elephant
orphanage at
Pinnawala, going to
the Turtle Hatcheries
on the Galle Road and
enjoying a fun boat
safari on the Madu
River, was the Galle
Fort.
To my eternal regret,
I spent very little time at both the
orphanage and the hatchery and I
would recommend that a whole day
is given to the orphanage especially.
Galle Fort is full of old Dutch
churches, teeming with seafood,
decaying Malay-style houses, nuns
on bicycles, and untouched seaside.
It has a slow, old world charm filled
with tropical showers and scenic
antiquated buildings left over from
colonial times. It is quite satisfying
to walk around the fort, allegedly the
oldest functioning fort in the world.
One of the best things you can plan
for at Galle, is a whale and dolphin
watching trip, something rare
anywhere in the world. Sleepy Galle
Adams-Peak
is a haven for grown-up backpackers,
with Dutch colonial architecture,
jewellery shops, ice cream parlours
and an almost complete dearth of
nightlife. I think I fell asleep at 9 pm.
Colombo’s antiquated yet meltingly
romantic trains (with bare interiors
and surplus passengers clinging to
the side) run straight down the coast.
Buy a ticket from any of the colonialera train stations; then hop aboard. Sri Lanka is refreshingly simple
and yet complex at the same time.
Its focus on religious and social
integration as well and a modern
cosmopolitan feel to Colombo.
Temple of the Tooth in Kandy
ourHeritage 19
20 ourHeritage
ourHeritage 21
22 ourHeritage
ourHeritage 23
POINT OF
FOCUS
DR. BABUR ZAHIRUDDIN
The recent fast pace of economic
development in Pakistan has
opened up new avenues for trade
and development in which the
network of motorways and roads
will play a very important part in the
future development and economic
prosperity.
C.P.E.C (China Pak Economic
Corridor) on which work has begun
on a fast pace will revolutionize the
lives of average Pakistani’s and will
be a game changer in the region.
If you study the route map of C.P.E.C
which are 1700 km long starts from
Khunjrab pass on the Pak China
Border and ends up at Gwadar the
sea port on the Arabian sea.
The aim and purpose of this article
is not to emphasize on the merits of
CPEC but to bring to the attention of
the readers to a very important point
of focus on this route which is Dera
Ismail Khan.
This neglected, backward and
isolated city is going to be the future
hub of economic activity in Pakistan
as it lies more or less on the mid way
point of C.P.E.C.
The road from Gwadar, Kalat, Zhob,
Loralai, Qilla Saifullah will pass
through D.I Khan on the left and
right bank of Indus via main route
and the loop lines.
24 ourHeritage
The importance of D I Khan cannot
be over looked at any cost because
this unique city has 4 to 5 access
points and can become a very
attractive and prosperous centre of
industrial and economic activity.
Apart from the above midway point
the city of D.I Khan is connected to
Bannu via the Indus highway, which
further connects it to the provincial
capital of Peshawar via Kohat and
Darra Adam Khel. Another road
connects D. I. Khan to Mianwali
through Chashma Barrage. The third
major road connects it to Bhakkar
in Punjab, situated on the eastern
bank of the River Indus. The fourth
major access route is from South
Waziristan to Tank to Kolachi and D.I
Khan can also be accessed from D.G
Khan.
This time my training schedule
took me to D. I KHAN a place which
has always intrigued me and here I
found answers to my many queries
about which I wrote an article in the
Heritage Magazine few months back
captioned “ THE JIGS SAW PUZZLE”
The word “DERA” is
derived from the Balochi
word Derā which means
“encampment”. Dera
Ismail Khan thus means
the residential town of
Sardar Ismail Khan Baloch.
People of Dera Ismail Khan as well
as Dera Ghazi Khan are also known
as Derawal or Dervi. Historically
the Jerajat were established at
the time when in the 15th century,
Baloch tribal immigration took place
from Makran, Qalat, Chagi and Sibi
Balochistan, to Indus Valley.
The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal
Empire ruled the region. The Multan
region became predominantly
Muslim due to missionary Sufi saints
whose Dargahs (SHRINES) dot the
landscape of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Dera Ismail Khan was founded
towards the end of the fifteenth
century by Sardar Ismail Khan
Baloch, son of Sardar Malik Sohrab
Khan Dodai Baloch, who named the
town after himself. The original town
was swept away by floods in 1823,
and the existing buildings are all of
relatively modern construction. The
present town stands four miles away
from the permanent channel of the
river.
Dera Ismail Khan town stands on a
flat stretch of land with a slight slope
towards the river, but it is badly
drained. It is surrounded by a thin
mud walls with nine gates, enclosing
an area of about 500 acres. The
cantonment, which lies southeast of
the town, has an area of 44 square
miles, excluding the portion known
as Fort Akalgarh on the northwest
side.
Bilot Fort
The local trade of Dera Ismail
Khan was of little importance in
the past, but some foreign traffic
with Khorasan passed through it.
Powindah (nomadic) caravans of
Afghan merchants traversed the
town twice a year on this road from
India, with the increasing security
of the Gomal route, these caravans
started increasing in numbers.
D.I. Khan was once famous for its
lacquered woodwork, glass and ivory
ware, mats and sarongs but this
time I could not find any local made
handicrafts in the bazaar.
Chasma Right Bank Canal (CRBC) is
the major canal that provides water
for irrigation.
D. I Khan proudly boasts of a multi
lingual society where Saraiki, is
official and spoken language of
dera ismail khan along with Pushto,
Balochi And Punjabi.
Although the city is relatively new,
rebuilt following the 1823 floods,
many of its original structures
remain, the original wall is still
visible around the old city. A
popular tourist destination is a preIslamic fort called Bilot, 30 miles
(48 km) from the Dera Ismail Khan
towards Chashma highway and the
dilapidated ruins still can be seen on
the hill.
ourHeritage 25
A sacred Sikh shrine is located in
D.I. KHAN and Guru Baba Nanak
visited this place during his fourth
itinerary. At the site where he
stayed a Dharamsala was built by
his devotees. It is a large building
whose main gate opens in to the
Chota Bazzar. Inside this door there
is a double-storey square building,
where Prakash (Bright Light) used to
take place.
There are residential rooms around
this building for pilgrims. Inside
the DARBAR there is a Thara Sahib
(pious seat) where Guru Nanak Dev
Ji once sat. The Government Higher
Secondary School No. 3 is now
currently housed in this building.
This Dharamsala was maintained by
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak
Committee (SGPC) before 1947
and presently it is in the hands of
the Auqaf department. The banks
of the Indus River are an attractive
place for tourists. On the right side
of Rehmania Street, the house of
a Hindu Zamindar – Bakaai Mahal
is a very old building of D. I. Khan
containing more than 80 rooms. I
tried to visit this building but the
main entrances were locked.
One of the most famous products
of the district is the “Dhakki Date”,
which is exported to the Middle East,
United States, and Europe.
Dhakki Dates
Like other cities and towns of the
Saraiki-speaking belt, Dera Ismail
Khan is famous for a dessert
delicacy called Sohan (HALWA).
Shops selling this sweet are
primarily situated in Topawaala
Bazaar, the old and the best Halwa
is produced and sold by three shops
which are situated in the main
bazaar. The city is also known for a
traditional dish called Sohbat.
There is virgin and barren land in
abundance in an around D.I Khan
which at this time may be purchased
at a throw away price but with the
passage of time when CPEC comes
of age and economic zones are
made along CPEC the land price of
D.I Khan region will shoot up like a
mercury thermometer in summers.
Nowadays D. I. Khan is increasingly
exporting another type of dried
date called Choora. The majority
of Choora are produced in Dhakki,
Mitrah Abad, Kathgarh and Saidu
Wali. Kathgarh is a village situated in
Tehsil Pahar Pur, about 43 km from
D. I. Khan near Pahar Pur. There
are also coal mines in the village
of Kathgarh, on the edge of CRBC
Canal.
The main bazaars of the city
all converge in one area, called
Chowgalla Bazar (literally meaning
“4 intersections”). Major bazaars
include Topanwala Bazaar,
Bhatiya Bazaar, Muslim Bazaar,
Commissioneri Bazaar, Kalan
Bazaar And Bakhiri Bazaar.
Chowgalla Bazar
26 ourHeritage
ourHeritage 27
Gwadar
idden Treasure
H
The Picturesque
Where to stay
Situated on the coast of Arabian Sea,
Gwadar is your ultimate getaway
destination. The breathtaking views
and pristine crystal clear blue water
beaches transport you to a world of
relaxation and tranquillity.
of Hinglaj Mata. Going further west,
the road starts to descend towards
Rudeni Band, through Ormara and
finally Gwadar.
The 5-Star Zaver Pearl Continental
Hotel offers panoramic views of
the city and scenic coastline. The
serenity of Gwadar coupled with
the comforts of a 5 star hotel
ensure a perfect escape. Zaver
offers an array of both traditional
and international restaurants,
spacious and luxurious rooms, fully
equipped conference halls as well
as an outdoor pool, pampering spa
treatments and a fitness centre to
How to get there
You can either take a flight from
Karachi or take a scenic drive down
the Makran Coastal Highway with its
eye-catching views and picturesque
beaches on the one side and the
grandeur of majestic mountains
on the other. Cruising along the
highway, you pass through the
Hingol National Park, the largest
in the country, the world famous
Mud Volcanoes, the breathtakingly
beautiful Kund Malir Beach, Princess
of Hope, Natural Sphinx and Temples
28 ourHeritage
Zaver Pearl-Continental Gwadar
Kund Malir Beach
Gwadar is 2 km from deep water sea
sports activities. It is 10 km from
Virgin Beach, 14 km from Gwadar
International Airport and 30 km from
the Water Sports Park. Akra Dam is
35 km away.
What to do
Gwadar is perfect for all the
adventurous souls out there. With
activities ranging from jet skiing and
speed boating to scuba diving and
desert safaris you are sure to never
be bored. The major attractions
include:
Zaver Pearl-Continental Gwadar
cater to all of one’s needs.
The well-decorated rooms are
equipped with a flat-screen TV,
personal safe and a well-stocked
minibar. Suites include a private
balcony opening on to the Gwadar
port and the Arabian Sea. The cuisine
options vary from Chinese at Tai-Pan
Restaurant to Western fine dining
at Jason’s Steak House. The Nadia
Coffee Shop is renowned for its
delicious Continental and Pakistani
dishes.
Car rentals and day trips can be
arranged at the tour desk. The
hotel also provides a beauty salon,
business centre and meeting
rooms.
Zaver Pearl Continental,
• Hingol National park: It is
the largest park of its kind
in Pakistan and allows one
to observe wildlife in all its
glory or go swimming in the
underground Hingol river
• Gwadar port
• Princess of Hope: It is named
after Angelina Jolie while she
was on a visit to the area as the
UN Goodwill Ambassador in
2002, the Princess of Hope is a
naturally occurring mud carved
statue bearing resemblance to
ourHeritage 29
a standing woman.
• Natural Sphinx
• Zalzala Koh or Zalzala
Jazeera: The island appeared
overnight after a 7.7 magnitude
earthquake
• Gorab beach
Zalzala Koh or Zalzala Jazeera
• Kund Malir Beach
• Local boat making yards, which
depict the ancient craft of
Gwadar’s locals
• Mud volcano: It is also known
as Baba Chander Kup amd
is believed to be one of the
largest mud volcanoes in the
world. Every year thousands
of Hindus gather to attend a
four-day ritual starting with
Baba Chander Kup, a live
volcano spitting out Mud from
thousands of years, before
moving on to Hinglaj Mata
Mandir in Hingol Park.
Mud Volcano
Local Boat Making Yards
30 ourHeritage
ourHeritage 31
FRUIT OF PARADISE
By: Dr. Babur Zahiruddin
About a year ago, I wrote an
article THE WONDER FIBRE in the
“ourHeritage” Magazine which
was very much appreciated by the
readers and I got many calls asking
about the various beneficial aspects
about the use of ISABGHOL.
Greatly encouraged by this response,
this time I would like to dilate upon
a common edible commodity which
is also known as the FRUIT OF
PARADISE. Most of you visit the
market to buy dry fruits but very few
of you bother to bring this fruit of
paradise home for consumption.
I myself have been consuming this
fruit for the past 30 years as a sweet
appetizer but I did not know about
the great medicinal and health
benefits of this fruit of paradise
till date when my research led to
this fact that cases of A.R.M.D (Age
Related Macular Disorders) that
the medicinal properties
of figs are very beneficial
to A.R.M.D patients and
Protection against Macular
Degeneration.
I as a consultant ophthalmologist
now prescribe and advise my
patients of A.R.M.D to consume this
fruit of paradise.
Reference of this fruit of paradise
can be taken from SURA 95, of the
THE HOLY QURAN which is named
AL-TĪN (Arabic for “The Fig”), as it
opens with the oath
“By the fig and the olive. Within the
Hadith, SAHIH UL-BUKHARI records
that The Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) stating:
32 ourHeritage
If I had to mention a fruit
that descended from
paradise, I would say that it
is because the paradisiacal
fruits do not have pits...eat
from these fruits for they
prevent hemorrhoids, piles
and help in gout.
The common FIG (Ficus carica) is
a species of flowering plant in the
genus Ficus. It is the source of the
fruit which is also called fig. It has
been sought out and cultivated since
ancient times, and is now widely
grown throughout the temperate
world, both for its fruit and as an
ornamental plant.
The fig tree is a deciduous large
shrub, growing up to a height of 7–10
metres. It has fragrant leaves which
are 12–25 cm long and 10–18 cm
across.
The botanical specification of
fig plant is very complex
as it comprises of an
inflorescence which
consists of a hollow
fleshy structure
called the
SYCONIUM,
which is lined
with numerous
unisexual
flowers.
The flower itself
is not visible
outwardly, as it
blooms inside the
INFRUCTESCENCE.
Although commonly
referred to as a fruit, the fig
is actually the INFRUCTESCENCE
or scion of the tree, known as
a false fruit or multiple fruit, in
which the flowers and seeds are
borne. The small orifice (ostiole)
visible on the middle of the fruit is
a narrow passage, which allows the
specialized fig wasp Blastophaga
psenes to enter the fruit and
pollinate the flower, where after the
fruit grows seeds.
The fertilized female wasp enters the
fig through the scion, which is a tiny
hole in the crown (the ostiole). She
crawls on the inflorescence inside
the fig and pollinates some of the
female flowers. She lays her eggs
inside some of the flowers and dies.
The edible fruit consists of the
mature SYCONIUM containing
numerous one-seeded fruits
(druplets). The fruit is 3–5 cm
long, with a green skin, sometimes
ripening towards purple or brown.
The sap of the fig’s green parts
is an irritant to the human skin.
The fig plant can tolerate
seasonal drought, and the
Middle Eastern and
Mediterranean
Apart from this fresh fig also
contains adequate levels of some
of the anti – oxidant vitamins such
as vitamin A, E and K, which have
a protective affect from cancers,
diabetes degenerative and infectious
diseases.
It is important to wash figs in cold
water and then mop and dry those
using soft cloth and tissue then one
may eat fresh figs whole or peeled.
climate is especially ideal for
the plant. If situated in favorable
surroundings, old specimens when
mature can reach a considerable
size and form a large dense shady
tree.
It thrives in both sandy and rocky
soils. As the sun is really important
for its growth some varieties are
more adapted to harsh and wet
climates.
Common fig tree is mostly a
PHREATOPHYTE (a plant with a deep
root system that draws its water
supply from near the water table.)
that lives in areas with standing or
running water, grows well in the
valleys of the rivers and ravines
saving no water, having strong need
of water that is extracted from the
ground. The deep-rooted plant
searches groundwater, in aquifers,
ravines, or cracks in the rocks. The
fig tree, with the water, cools the
environment in hot places, creating a
fresh and pleasant habitat for many
animals that take shelter in its shade
in the times of intense heat.
and ripens in the late summer or
fall. The main crop is generally
superior in both quantity and quality
to the BREBA crop.
Figs can be eaten fresh or dried,
and used in jam-making. Most
commercial production is in dried or
otherwise processed forms, since
the ripe fruit does not transport well,
once picked the shelf life is short.
Dried figs are a rich source of dietary
fiber and essential minerals, like
manganese, while vitamin K and
numerous other minerals are in
moderate content.
Figs contain diverse phytochemicals,
including polyphenols such as gallic
acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid,
catechin, epicatechin and rutin.
The Health benefits of
figs are that it is low in
calories, excellent source
of minerals, vitamins and
anti-oxidants such as
carotenes, lutein, tannins,
and chlrogenic acid.
Fig fruit is an important food source
for much of the fauna in some areas,
and the tree owes its expansion and
survival to those that feed on its
fruit.
Research has suggested that
chlorogenic acid helps lower sugar
levels and controls blood-glucose
levels in type II Diabetes Mellitus.
Two crops of figs are potentially
produced each year. The first or
BREBA CROP develops in the spring
on last year’s shoot growth. In
contrast, the main fig crop develops
on the current year’s shoot growth
Dried figs also contain Calcium,
copper, potassium manganese,
iron, selenium and zinc and the
B-complex group of vitamin such
as niacin, pyridoxine, folates and
pantothenic acid.
In some people eating fig fruits
may cause elicit allergic reactions
ranging from vomiting, diarrhea
and itching of skin and mucus
membranes. Those people who have
allergy to figs may exercise caution
in eating figs.
It is a sweet way to lose weight as
figs are a good source of dietary
fiber. Fiber and fiber-rich foods
may have a positive effect on weight
management.
The leaves of the figs have
repeatedly been shown to have antidiabetic properties and can actually
reduce the amount of insulin needed
by persons with diabetes who
require insulin injections.
Some studies have shown that
they have good effect on the
Cardiovascular system as they
have been shown to lower levels of
triglycerides (a form in which fats
circulate in the bloodstream).
So next time when you go to the
market please ensure that the
purchase of fig fruit is on the top
priority of your shopping list.
EAT FIGS AND STAY
HEALTHY…..
ourHeritage 33
Students
as
Links
between
Cultures
The Value of Academic Cooperation Worldwide
By Atle Hetland
Millions of students go abroad to
study every year. Most countries are
net-sending countries while others
are net-receiving countries. The
push and pull factors are similar to
those that get migrant workers to
leave their home country to seek
greener pastures abroad, for a
period of time or for many years.
Pakistanis foreign workers go to
countries in the Middle East, Spain,
Italy, other European countries and
further afield. Some students go to
U.A.E., Malaysia and other countries
in the region. But most go much
further, to Western Europe, and also
to countries in the south and east
of Europe, and North America and
Oceania.
34 ourHeritage
“I studied in Norway in the late 1970s
and 1980s. It took me 12 years to
complete my Ph.D. level degrees
and then I worked for a couple of
years before returning home”, said a
Pakistani who has since held senior
posts in the NGO-sector in Pakistan,
before retiring a few years ago. “My
wife too came for several years since
I stayed so long. In those days, there
were very few courses in English so
we had to spend time learning the
local language”, he said.
But I suppose that if one wants to go
to France, French is a requirement,
unless it is just a short study visit,
or a specialized research stay with
colleague who know English.”
“We should remember that
English in not the mother
tongue of many European
countries. Local students
learn English as a foreign
language, and earlier,
students and teachers
were a bit shy speaking
English; some were even
better in German. Today,
that is different, and
there are many degree
courses in English even in
countries where English
is not the mother tongue.
That makes it easier for
foreign students”, he said.
“My wife knows more correct
Norwegian than I do, and has better
in everyday vocabulary, too, since
she worked in a kindergarten for
some time”, he said.
“Today with English as ‘lingua
franca’, many don’t bother to learn
much of the local language either.
Yet, it is always important if one
wants to get outside the university
environment and discover more of
the local culture”, said his wife.
”We have forgotten some by now,
but we can still speak it. I also
enjoyed my stay in Norway very
much. The way the studies were
organized was very free and most
of the responsibility for the learning
process was pushed over on the
students. This was certainly good at
postgraduate level. I remind them
of this when I visit Norway every
few years. But also there, they have
become more ‘standardized’ now.”
Much has changed since the
Pakistani couple went to Norway
thirty years ago. Today, recruitment,
preparation and financing are much
more formalized and many more
students go abroad. There are
many organizations and companies
the field; they help students and
universities, and they make money
for themselves, too. Sometimes,
universities enter into linkages with
overseas universities, and exchange
of students is cone component.
The United States
Education Foundation in
Pakistan (UNESFP) is a
large organization playing
a key role in recruitment
of students; it handles
the prestigious Fulbright
Scholarship Program and
other facilities, sending
more than 600 scholarship
holders to USA every year,
mostly for longer stays of 2-3 years,
including doctoral research and
advanced degrees; but some go for
short visits. Recently, community
colleges have also been included
so that students can go for more
practical courses.
“When I was selected, it was a dream
come true”, said a kindergarten
teacher from Quetta. She said that
her mother encouraged her very
much to go for it, being a teacher
herself and not having had the
chance to go abroad.
“I was more than excited when I
was chosen”, said a 23-year old lad
from Peshawar, working for an NGO
dealing with security issues. “I come
from a poor economic background,
and would not have been able to pay
for it myself. I too was encouraged
to go by my parents. Without that, it
would have been impossible to do”,
he said. They are both single, and
have to come back and settle into
their home culture and traditions
when the one-year course is over.
Australia Education Organization
(AEO) is another large organization
sending students abroad, mostly
to Australia and neighbouring New
Zealand, but also other countries,
especially UK, Canada, USA,
Malaysia, and other countries. “Our
scholarships are not full-financing,
but cover between 20 and 80 percent
of the cost. It is all merit based”, said
the manager of AEO, who has been
in the organization since he and his
colleague started it more than 20
year ago. “Now we also organize
English language tests, such as
IELTS”, he explained.
“It is a fact that many of those we
help to study abroad will stay on in
the country where they studied”, he
said. “However, since science and
professional skills are universal,
there is nothing we can do about
that. Some may return home for
some years or permanently. Or,
they may have a foot in more than
one country. I think that is going to
be even more common in future.
They will not only be carriers of one
culture, but two or three cultures.”
“I feel very privileged to have had
the opportunity to work in this field.
ourHeritage 35
Nothing is more important than
education, and that also includes
exposure and gaining universal skills
and understanding”, stressed the
AEO manger, who is an accountant
trained in Pakistan. “My exposure
has been gradual and I have learnt
on the way, visiting many of the
universities abroad that AEO sends
students to”, he said.
“I would like to say that when we
select our students, about 400 every
year, we focus on their academic
qualifications, their personal ability
and even their family background.
We interview the candidate as well
as the parents”, he explained. “We
like to know that the parents are
supportive of their children in case
they may have a problem abroad. It
is a pleasure to study abroad, but
there can also be difficulties, and it
is important to have good support
when that happens”, said the
manager.
The German Academic Exchange
Service (DAAD) is a well established
public organization sending students
36 ourHeritage
and researchers to Germany. There
are now over 400 DAAD scholars
in Germany, but there are around
3,000 Pakistani students in total in
Germany.
“Not all should go to Englishspeaking countries. Besides,
everyone knows that Germany is
very advanced in many fields”, said
a political science student working
on his doctoral dissertation at a top
German university.
“When I first arrived at my university
in a smaller city, after a four-month
course in German language in the
capital Berlin, my main supervisor
welcomed me by saying that this
was going to be the best time of my
academic life; there will be generous
funding, excellent libraries, lectures
and seminars, good supervisors,
smart fellow students from all over
the world, and enough time to do
serious work - and have fun. I envy
you and I know you will do well. Don’t
just study all the time, have fun, too.”
“He was right. Now, I have done
more than half of my time, and I have
come to love my German university,
the country, and DAAD, which gave
me this opportunity”, said the young
Punjabi. “But since I have not (yet)
married here, I am still free to return
to Pakistan”, he smiled, being back
in Pakistan on a short home leave.
“DAAD also provides
funding of research
cooperation and interuniversity linkages”, he
said, already thinking of
how to stay in touch with
Germany in his future
carrier in Pakistan.
I have had the opportunity of
attending research cooperation with
France”, said a Pakistani researcher
in environmental studies and climate
change.
“I don’t know French, but nowadays,
most young French academics are
quite good in English, so French isn’t
absolutely needed. I went to France
since Pakistan’s Higher Education
Commission has promoted
cooperation with France so that we
also have knowledge of science and
research in the Francophone world.
“The Anglophone world is today
dominant. But we must not become
so ‘one-eyed’ that we don’t see other
countries. Sometimes, I envy the
smaller countries; they use their
own language even at top scientific
level in their countries, along with
English and perhaps another world
language. Look at Scandinavia; that
is what they do.”
“I think we in Pakistan should also
use Urdu much more than we do
at university level, and that has
recently been recommended by the
government”, said the Pakistani
researcher. But he added that it is
important to be comfortable in at
least one world language, too, at that
usually means English. In future,
Chinese may be handy too, but that’s
for our children”, he added.
“Foreign studies are important as
part of a top university education. I
would advocate that we follow the
example of the smaller European
countries, such as Norway, where
it is a strong recommendation that
all undergraduate students spend
at least one out of the six semesters
abroad.”
“Candidates with such backgrounds
will have gained more than can
been learnt from books as regards
cultures and understanding.
They would have a much wider
perspective than if they just stayed at
home.”
“And when we go abroad we also
learn to talk about our own country,
and find out what others would like
to hear. We become ambassadors
and carriers of culture”, said the
Pakistani researcher.
I hope that in future, we will see
more foreign students coming to
Pakistan, and researchers, too, men
and women,
he added.
The USEFP administrator underlined
the same.
When Pakistanis go
to America, they are
ambassadors of Pakistan,
and people get to know
them as individuals and
good human beings. That is
important when there is so
much negative news about
extremism on TV, including
about Pakistan.”
“And when Americans come to
Pakistan, they don’t just remain
TV-stereotypes anymore either. And
ordinary students and teachers are
not responsible for foreign policies
of their home country.”
“When we say that students are
links between cultures, we mean
that learning and forging academic
and scientific links is only a part of
what they do. As important is the
friendship and personal links they
establish, often to last throughout
their lives.”
ourHeritage 37
MAJESTIC
SNOW LEOPARD
By: Tahir Imran Khan
Somewhere in 2005, we were
descending down from Khunjerab
Pass after a memorable trip with
some foreigner friends, Siddique told
me that there is a Snow Leopard’s
cub with the security staff at the post
of Dhee ( Deih ).
Snow Leopard has been
a legendary and sort of
mysterious animal, mostly
we heard of it, in tales and
watched in movies and to
see it with naked eyes was
an exciting thing.
38 ourHeritage
Our friends were also extremely
thrilled and we jumped out of the
comfortable vehicle to watch the
animals.
The beautiful cub was a darling
sweetheart and was looking as
innocent as a Persian cat would be.
Margaret immediately took it and
cuddled in her lap without any fear
or terror as the impression of an
adult beast would be, especially in its
natural habitat.
We were told that the scientific name
of Snow Leopard is Panthera Uncia
and higher classification is Uncia. It’s
a carnivorous animal and an adult’s
weight is 27 to 55 kgs in average
and at maximum 75 kgs in males.
The length of a snow leopard from
head to the base of the tail is 30 to
50 inches with a remarkably long tail
from 31 to 39 inches.
Snow leopards’ tails are long and
flexible, helping them to maintain
their balance, which is important
in the rocky terrain they inhabit.
Their tails are also very thick due for
storage of fat and are very thickly
covered with fur which allows them
to be used like a blanket to protect
their faces when asleep. Being large cats, their eyes are pale
green or grey while they have long,
thick fur which varies from smoky
grey to yellowish tan, with whitish
under parts. They have dark grey to
black open rosettes on their bodies,
with small spots of the same color
on their heads and larger spots on
their legs and tails.
Their ears are small and rounded,
all of which help to minimize heat
loss. Their paws are wide, which
distributes their weight better for
walking on snow, and have fur on
their undersides to increase their
grip on steep and unstable surfaces;
it also helps to minimize heat loss.
It is estimated that around
3,500 to 7,000 wild snow
leopards remain in the
mountaineous regions of
central Asia, including
the high mountain ranges
of Pakistan. In addition,
there are between 600
and 700 snow leopards in
zoos around the world.
Its being near to extinct
and at present included
in endangered species
of animals, native of
the mountain of Central
& South Asia with few
sightings is Pakistan.
Attempting to import a snow leopard
hide into the USA is punishable by a
fine of up to a $25,000. In Nepal such
trade could mean a 5-15 year jail
sentence.
None of us was well attentively
listening to such technical details
as the beauty of the lovely cub
was extremely mesmerizing and
everyone was longing to take it in lap
and make a memorable photograph
with it. This first encounter with this
charming animal was outstanding
and developed my interest in Snow
Leopards.
The books and internet information
told that it’s a shy animal and its
range is quite wide and an animal
ourHeritage 39
sighted in one country may appear
in another season in some other
country. As it lives in cold areas only,
therefore in summers it may live
in areas from 2700 to 6000 meters
above sea level while in winters, the
animals come down in search of food
& fodder, hence may descend to an
altitude of 2000 meters.
Later on,
while preparing tourism
development plan for
Norther Areas (present
GB), Yasir Hussain, a
young and dynamic officer
told that a snow leopard
was found and caught
near Khunjerab and sent
to USA to raise in better
environment and would
be returned to Pakistan
after proper care and when
it would be able to live
independently.
The animal was named as LEO and
sent to the Bronx Zoo in America
with an agreement that proper
facilities would be developed at
Naltar and LEO would be back in
40 ourHeritage
its original country land. It was
interesting to know that this was the
same animal which we saw during
our trip and as now LEO is a celebrity
animal with its international fame,
an association with such a figure was
exciting to boast in friend’s circles
and while talking on wildlife.
After this wonderful friendly
sighting of the young LEO (named
afterwards), my second sighting
of another snow leopard was
depressing and disappointing.
We were on a trip to hike the
Mukshpuri Peak above Dunga Gali,
a lovely tiny village in Galliat region
near Murree. Usman Hanif, one
of our friends is a highly reputed
wildlife photographer. He suggested
us to start hike from Nathiagali
to visit Lalazar Wildlife Park en
route to climb Mukshpuri. He told
that Lalazar Wildlife Park is the
only place in Pakistan with a Snow
Leopard in captivity. There was a pair
of beautiful local common leopards
in a large captivity and that was a
lovely sight as the leopards were
in quite a good area and in natural
environment.
We were thrilled and looking
forward to see the Snow Leopard
but it was extremely surprising and
unacceptable to see a beautiful and
adult Snow Leopard in an iron cage
which was not bigger than a bird’s
cage, which we usually have at
home.
The story of this leopard is also
surprising as we were told that WWF
got information that some political
figure has kept a Snow Leopard at
his house in Dunga Gali. They asked
the owner to handover the leopard
to WWF so it was shifted to the park
but without any proper planning
or arrangements. Therefore, the
animal which was well kept and well
fed, though illegally, was shifted
to concerned authorities but now
the majestic animal was in worst
condition as there is hardly any place
for it to comfortably roam around.
Lovely ?) and can be seen at Belie
post on Karakoram Highway while
driving from Passu to Sost.
Sundar is an Urdu or Hindi word for
beauty so the animal is named very
rightly as Sundar but its care and
feeding seems miserable and if the
conditions remained similar, it may
not survive very long. Its impressive
tail, which has a great role in Snow
Leopard’s life, is only used to sway
flies and the poor animal looks
sad and weak to pose for common
visitors, who used to throw stones or
yell at the animal to get its attention
while making photographs.
In October 2015, Noman, Adnan
and Amjad came from Karachi with
a plan to visit Hunza Valley which
is matchless in autumn season.
We drove via Babusar and had a
great time en route. New tunnel at
Atabad and the quality of the newly
constructed road from Raikot Bridge
to Khunjerab Pass is marvellous.
The memory of 2005 trip of sighting
a captured snow leopard cub was in
mind and I told the story to friends,
who considered me a lucky person to
touch a snow leopard in real.
We reached at a post between
Sost and Dhee and to my extreme
surprise; the local staff told about
the new activity and showed us
another animal which was an orphan
baby captured three years ago.
The animal is put in a cage and the
post staff takes care of beast. Now
it’s a good sized animal, the cage
of whom is lying cruelly on the road
side. It was unbelievable as a lot of
NGOs work in the region and then
there are organizations including
WWF and IUCN and it has not been
noticed by anyone.
The Snow Leopard at Dunga Gali,
called as Sundar was a disappointing
sight but atleast the surroundings
and environment was comparatively
better while this unfortunate poor
soul is in most ugly and unfavoring
condition. Again, the only activity
here is a photograph to show friends
as one of the tour’s highlights, which
further make the animal disturbed
and uncomfortable. This magnificent
animal is named as Louly (Lolly or
Reports say that government is
trying to bring back LEO to Pakistan
but after my awful experience of
watching snow leopards in cage at
Dunga Gali and Gojal, I firmly believe
that we should not bring LEO back
till we have the proper captivity with
appropriate facilities for the lovely
animals.
Mr. Nisar Malik of Walkabout
Films is really a creative and novel
person to launch multiple ideas and
to promote Pakistan as a unique
and unparalleled destination. His
documentary on Snow Leopard is
worth watching so the following
words by an expert like him would be
considered with great concern and
respect. “Any habitat we create for the
snow leopard cannot, of course,
replicate the stunning terrain of their
mountainous homes...Those steep
cliffs and high rocky outcrops can
never be recreated, but at least we
can give the snow leopard a decent
enclosure and provide it with proper
care and dignity to live out the rest of
its life in captivity “.
ourHeritage 41
Are you emotionally intelligent?
By: Khuzaima Fatima Haque
Have you ever wondered what would
happen if each one of us started to
think extremely logically and make
decisions based only on that. Rather
than using emotions to dictate
our lives, if we only make use of
logical thought, the world would be
a very frightening place. A vacuum
of emotions would simply spell
disaster. Who would like to live like
that?
Understanding when your dad
feels angry or reading your friends
facial expression is the key to a
successful life. Just like happiness
needs to be felt and sadness needs
to be understood, all emotions may
they be weak or strong need to be
recognised. That is how life goes on
and best of all if one learns the tricks
of the trade life goes on smoothly.
Here is where one’s Emotional
Quotient comes into play. Ever since
the 1930s, scientists have struggled
to understand the importance
of Social Intelligence, a rather
important area of research.
The ability to manage
emotions effectively is a
crucial part of emotional
intelligence. Regulating
emotions, responding
appropriately and
responding to the emotions
of others are all important
aspect of emotional
management.
42 ourHeritage
Without this, man stands nowhere
and can lead humanity to nowhere.
Technically, emotional intelligence
refers to the ability to perceive,
control, and evaluate emotions.
Some researchers suggest
that emotional intelligence can
be learned and strengthened,
while other claim it is an inborn
characteristic. Scientists have
developed several testing
instruments to measure emotional
intelligence, although the content
and approach of each test varies.
The ability to express and
control our emotions is
essential,
but
so is our
ability
to understand, interpret, and
respond to the emotions of others.
Imagine a world where you could
not understand when a friend was
feeling sad or when a co-worker
was angry. Psychologists refer to
this ability as emotional intelligence,
and some experts even suggest
that it can be more important than
IQ. Some researchers suggest that
emotional
intelligence can be learned and
strengthened, while others claim it is
an inborn characteristic.
As history records, Peter Salovey
and John D. Mayer are the
leading researchers on emotional
intelligence. Their article,
“Emotional Intelligence”, a rather
impressive convincing piece of work,
defines emotional intelligence as
“the subset of social intelligence
that involves the ability to monitor
one’s own and others’ feelings and
emotions, to discriminate among
them and to use this information to
guide one’s thinking and actions”.
Interestingly, they have marked out
four branches of EI. These include,
the perception of emotion, the ability
of reason using emotions, the ability
to understand emotion and the
ability to manage emotions.
Among these, the first step in
understanding emotions is to
perceive them accurately. These
include understanding nonverbal
signals such as body language and
facial expressions.
Second to this is reasoning with
emotions. This translates into
something where using emotions
to promote thinking and cognitive
activity is involved. Emotions help
prioritize what we pay attention to
and how to react to.
Thirdly, there is understanding
of emotions. This means that the
emotions that we perceive can
carry a wide variety of meanings.
If someone is expressing angry
emotions, the observer must
interpret the cause of their anger
and what it might mean. And the
fourth one is the ability of manage
emotions. Regulating emotions,
responding appropriately and
responding to the emotions of others
are all important aspect of emotional
management.
Thus the arrangement in this
model is arranged from a very
basic psychological process to a
much higher, more psychologically
integrated process. For example,
the lowest level branch concerns
the (relatively) simple abilities of
perceiving and expressing emotion.
In contrast, the highest level branch
concerns the conscious, reflective
regulation of emotion.
A very apt saying of David Caruso, a
famous name in the field says it all:
“It is very important to understand
that emotional intelligence is not the
opposite of intelligence, it is not the
triumph of heart over head -- it is
the unique intersection of both.”
A way of recognizing,
understanding, and
choosing how we think,
feel, and act. It shapes our
interactions with others
and our understanding
of ourselves. It defines
how and what we learn; it
allows us to set priorities;
it determines the majority
of our daily actions.
Research suggests it is
responsible for as much
as 80 per cent of the
“success” in our lives.
Thus the role emotions play in our
lives is of immense importance.
Researchers have found that even
more than IQ, emotional awareness
and abilities to handle feelings
will determine your success and
happiness in all walks of life,
including family relationships. So
next time before you let your anger
sweep over other emotions, think
about it!
Thus thinkers have explained the
importance of EQ is some very
interesting ways. One of them refers
to it as
ourHeritage 43
After a journey of about two and half hours from Lahore towards
Islamabad on Motorway (M2), we enter in the dramatic landscape of
rugged hills and strange rocks of different colors and shapes. This is
the region which is commonly known as the Salt Range.
By: Aftab Rana
44 ourHeritage
The Salt Range comprises two rows
of low lying rugged hills that run
east to west between the Soan and
Jhelum rivers from the Grand Trunk
Road, near Jhelum city to the River
Indus, near Kalabagh. The Salt
Range is a geological record of the
ancient sea that once flowed over
the Indus plains. Its name comes
from the vast deposits of rock salt
that has been left in its embrace by
receding sea. These salt deposits
are mined at Khewra since ancient
times.
The region is known as the “Museum
of Geology” as the area record 600
million years of earth’s evolution.
The rocks and fossils found around
the Salt Range provide a complete
record of the history of Earth. Layers
of rock in the range have been tipped
vertically or in some places are
inverted, so that the older fossilstrewn layers lie on the surface.
The area has a great historical
significance as well. Alexander
the Great passed through the Salt
Range on his way to fight a battle
Malot Temple.
with Porus on the banks of the
Jhelum River in 326 BC. In the 3rd
century BC, this area became part of
Ashoka’s Buddhist Empire. Towards
the end of the Buddhist period, in the
6th century AD, there was a kingdom
in the Salt Range called Singhapura,
probably centered at Ketas. From
7th to 10th centuries, the Salt Range
was part of powerful Kashmiri Hindu
kingdom. Mahmood Ghazni invaded
the region in the early 11th century.
The local tribes converted to Islam
at this time. Mughal King, Babar
passed through this area when he
led the expedition from Kabul to
Delhi.
The Motorway (M2) passes right
through the heart of Salt Range and
most of the places of tourist interest
can be easily reached via Lilla and
Kallar Kahar interchanges. This area
has many interesting places but
because of limitation of space I am
only mentioning here some of the
most important and easily accessible
places.
M2 Motorway passing through Salt Range
ourHeritage 45
Khewra Salt Mines
Khewra, the second largest salt
mine in the word is one of the main
tourist attraction of this area. It is
located at a distance of 180 km from
Islamabad and 245 km from Lahore
via Motorway (M2). Salt has been
mined here since ancient times and
the commercial mining was started
in the Mughal era. The British
expanded the operation in 1872.
Tourists are allowed to visit this mine
very day. A tourist train runs inside
the mine tunnel. There are some
incredible sculptures and structures
inside the mine made up of salt.
There are also many souvenir shops
at Khewra where tourists can buy
beautiful lamps and different other
decoration items made of salt.
Khewra is best accessible via Lilla
Interchange on Motorway.
Kallar Kahar
Deep inside the Khewra Salt Mines
Kallar Kahar is located at a distance
of 244 km from Lahore and 135
km from Islamabad. It is the most
popular tourist spot of the Salt
Range which is famous because of
its salt water lake, fruit orchards,
wild peacocks and shrine of Abdul
Qadir Gillani’s two grandsons. The
place finds a special mention in the
Tuzk-e-Babri. Inspired by the beauty
of Kallar Kahar, Babar camped
here for a while when he led the
expedition from Kabul to Delhi. His
stone throne perched on a hillock is
still there.
Kallar Kahar is a charming place
with a row of tourist lodges
overlooking the lake which is full
of migratory birds during winter
months. After the construction of
Motorway (M2), the access to Kallar
Kahar has become easier and lots
of people come here for picnic and
recreation especially on weekends.
There are number of restaurants
and an amusement park with
boating facility along the western
bank of lake. Unfortunately, due to
uncontrolled development along the
lake there is a fear that this scenic
spot will lose its beauty and charm
if urgent attention is not given to
46 ourHeritage
Ketas Raj
properly plan and the growth of
tourism infrastructure and other
facility at this place.
Ketas Raj
Located about 35 km from Kallar
Kahar on the road to Choha Sadian
Shah, Ketas is a very fascinating
historical site of this region.
The word Ketas is derived
from Sanskrit language
that stands for “String
of Tears” or “Weeping
Eyes”. According to Hindu
Mythology, Load Shiva,
grieved by the sad demise
of his beloved wife Satti,
kept on weeping so long
and so profusely that two
pools were formed from
the tears, one near Ajmer
Sharif and the other at
Ketas.
It is considered the second most holy
place of Hindus in Pakistan.
Dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva,
the temple has existed since the
days of Mahabharata. There is also a
Buddhist site associated with Asoka
and there is also a ruined fortified
palace of Raja Hari Sing Nalwa. The
deserted temples, fort, bathhouses
surrounded a pool sacred to Shiva
where thousands of Hindu devotees
used to flock every April to bathe.
Malot Temple
The Malot Temple was built in red
sandstone in the Hindu Shahi era
in the 9th -10th centuries. They are
situated on a spur of the Salt Range
at a height of about 2,500 feet from
the sea level. From the top, there is
a fantastic view of the Punjab plain
from the ridge of the salt range. It
takes about half an hour from Kallar
Kahar Interchange on Motorway to
reach the village of Malot village
from where it is an easy walk of ten
minutes to the temple. Lakes of Soan Valley
The four lakes of Salt Range Khabbeki, Ucchali, Jhalar and Namal
are part of internationally recognized
Ramsar sites which provide an
important wintering ground for the
thousands of migratory birds who
come here from Siberia to spend
winter months. These lakes are
A waterfall at Kanhati
located in the Soan Valley is in the
western part of Salt Range which is
accessible from Kallar Kahar within
the range of two to three hour drive.
To visit these lakes one can make a
day trip from Kallar Kahar. Winter
is the best time to visit these lakes
when many species of birds can be
seen here.
Kanhati Garden
Kanhati Garden is another charming
tourist spot of Soan Valley in the
western part of the Salt Range. One
can reach here via Khoshab road
from Kallar Kahar after a drive of
about two hours. It was established
by Major Whet Burn in 1933 with
plantation of different fruit trees,
herbs and shrubs. Kanhati is also
home of varieties of bird species.
The most fascinating aspect of this
place is its fascinating landscape
and serenity. There is a small
colonial style rest house which
has been recently renovated by
TDCP to provide accommodation
facility to the visitors. A camping
site facility is also available to
provide accommodation to more
adventurous travelers. This place is
ideal for nature study and hike in the
surrounding hills. A waterfall located
after crossing the small village of
Kanhati is a nice picnic spot for day
visitors.
As a whole, the area of Salt Range
has tremendous potential to promote
tourism especially ecotourism and
adventure tourism. In order to avoid
unplanned demand driven tourism,
there is a need to carefully plan the
development of tourism facilities
at selected places with the active
engagement of local communities.
Salt Range is an area where limited
other industrial and business
opportunities are available. By
developing tourism in this region,
number of small and medium
enterprise activities such as hotels,
restaurants, transport, handicrafts,
souvenir shops, local recreational
spots and tour guide services will
simultaneously boost up and it will
create thousands of new jobs and
income generation opportunities for
for unskilled and skilled workforce of
this area.
ourHeritage 47
48 ourHeritage
ourHeritage 49
50 ourHeritage
ourHeritage 51
The last curtain call for
By: Khuzaima Fatima Haque
The first quarter of this year saw
Pakistan’s three literary giants
return to their Creator. Thousands
bid farewell to three of the most
enlightened minds in the country.
There is no doubt that the literary
scene in Pakistan will never be the
same without Intizar Hussain, Fatima
Surayya Bajia and Naushaba Burney.
Intizar Hussain was a man par
excellence. Widely recognised as one
of the greatest Urdu writers in history,
he died at 92 years of age following
a period of illness. Hussain was a
prolific author, known for his novels,
short stories, columns and poetry.
He received worldwide
recognition when he was
shortlisted for the Man
Booker international
prize in 2013 and awarded
France’s highly prestigious
Ordre des Arts et des
Lettres a year later. Among
the National awards that
he won are Sitara-i-Imtiaz,
Pride of Performance,
Adamjee literary award,
Kamal-i-Fun award and
Anjuman Farogh-i-Adab
Doha’s award.
Intizar Hussain was born on 7
December, 1923 in India. He migrated
to the newly formed Pakistan in
1947. Fifty years later he wrote about
this particular experience in a heart
rendering short story titled, The
52 ourHeritage
First Morning. He served various
newspapers, retired from Mashriq
daily in 1988 and began working as a
freelance journalist and writer.
Hussain’s acclaimed novel Basti,
published in 1979 and later translated
into English, also addressed
the history of Pakistan and the
Subcontinent.
He was a regular literary columnist
for Pakistan’s leading Englishlanguage daily Dawn. His followers
eagerly awaited his weekly columns.
His was a voice of moderation.
Humanism was a way of life for him.
Throughout his life he stood for
the subcontinent’s ancient
traditions of pluralism
and tolerance.
and readily issue him a certificate of
Sufism. But Intizar Hussain called
himself a fiction writer.
Eminent journalist Naushaba
Burney is yet another literary giant
who will be missed for her in-depth
journalistic powers. She passed away
in Karachi on 11th of February, 2016
at the age of 83. A gold medalist from
Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore,
she went on to complete her
Bachelors from Columbia and later
on did her Masters in English from
University of Oregan.
Intizar Hussain had
immense command over
the craft of storytelling.
This made him bring
forth a plethora of quality
literature decade after
decade. Such was his
craft that several of his
novels including Naya Ghar
and Basti were translated
from Urdu into English.
Some of his well acclaimed
books include Gali
Koochay, Kankari, Din
Aur Dastan, Shehr-iafsos, Kachhuay, Khaimay
Say Door, Khali Pinjra,
Morenama and Sheharzad
Kay Naam.
Critics even call him a
philosopher, a reformer
Intizar Hussain
Naushaba Burney was
the first formally trained
woman journalist of
Pakistan.
She helped set up the Department
of Journalism at the University of
Karachi and also taught there. In the
early 1990s Naushaba Burney joined
Dawn’s supplement section and
subsequently became the editor of
the newspaper’s Sunday magazine.
Later on she served at the Aga Khan
University Hospital’s Department of
Public Affairs. She was an inspiration
for all the young female journalists
who learnt not only her craft but her
humbleness also. She mentored
several young journalists and helped
them guide them toward solid career
paths.
She was a prolific writer who wrote
on social issues. Throughout her
career as a journalist, she promoted
several talented artists and writers.
She led a highly principled life and
stood up for women issues whenever
the need arose. She will be dearly
missed by her readers.
Fatima Surayya
Bajia is a household
name. Famed for her
immensely popular
drama serials on
Pakistan Television,
she embodied an
era of when strong
traditions of reading
and writing and more
so of enlightenment
was the order of the
day.
Bajia was born on
14th of September in
1930 in Hyderabad,
Deccan to a highly
literary family that
hailed from Badyun.
Family arrived in
Karachi a week
after the demise of the Quaid-eAzam. Interestingly, the large family
including her great-grandmother,
grandparents, parents, Bajia herself
and her nine younger siblings,
disembarked at the Keamari Port
in Karachi with baggage inclusive
of 80,000 books. This was a very
hard time for her family. Bajia stood
resolute in the face of the humungous
challenges and led her
siblings search for a new
life. She started making
dolls, and later designed
and embroidered clothes
to keep the kitchen fire
burning. Ultimately,
she emerged as a
remarkable playwright
and much loved
respected sister and
mentor. To several others
she was a motherly
figure and a source of
guidance and comfort.
Bajia has more
than 300 plays for
children, women
and general
public to her
credit.
Naushaba Burney
Fatima Surayya Bajia
She was a very able playwright who
was portrayed culture with all its
intricacies and conflicts. Inspired
by A.R.Khatoon, she upheld the
traditions of the so-called social
novels written in the Pre-partition
era. Her characters were larger
than life and loved by her audience.
Bajia’s plays showed exhaustive
rounds of complex worlds filled
with interplaying family connections
exposed to pressures brought on
by education and collapsing of the
feudal system. Her plays exhibited
a life that was attractive yet which
also encouraged reform in society.
Her most prominent serials included
Shama, Afshan, Ana and Aagahi.
Additionally, not many knew of her
strong fascination with Japanese
literature. She wrote poetry in the
Japanese-style Haiku, and claimed to
have popularized it. A lot of Japanese
short stories and novels were
adapted by her into Urdu stage plays.
This wonder lady had a special talent
for creating musical programmes.
Sakal bin phool was one of her most
loved musical programmes. This had
songs written seven hundred years
back by Amir Khushru. All in all, she
was a much loved, much admired
creative genius who will be missed by
many in all walks of life.
ourHeritage 53
The
Sweetness
of Gur
By: Daud Zia
The sweetness in life comes not
from gold nor from a flashy city life;
it comes from tasting a piece of gur.
No doubt, gur is the golden queen of
Pakistan. Have you ever wondered
why does one find villagers in
Pakistan to be so sweet tongued and
good natured? Why do we find them
so sweet natured and so kind? It is
gur that makes them so. Making gur
and then eating it makes their lives
sweet and so does it make the lives
of city dwellers sweet when they get
to taste it.
Making of gur from sugar cane juice
in Pakistan is an age old tradition.
54 ourHeritage
Families upon families have been
involved with this art for ages. It is
taught to their younger ones as soon
as they can talk and walk. Villagers
involved with making of gur feel
proud of owning this art since this is
no small craft and one that takes up
a lot of effort and hard work.
Technically speaking, gur
is a concentrated product
of cane juice in which the
molasses and crystals
have not been separated.
The colour of the end
product may vary from a
shiny golden brown to dark
brown.
The making of gur is very common in
most of the villages of Punjab. This
natural sugar in its uncontaminated
form goes through a unique process
that involves several steps to get
the beautiful final product. It must
be understood that the process
of gur making is natural and no
chemicals are used in converting
the syrup into gur. Gur making
starts from crushing the long
sugarcanes and gathering a large
amount of syrup. After gathering
the syrup, it is poured in the huge
shallow round bottom containers.
It is then boiled to two hundred
degree Celsius until all the water
from the syrup evaporates. At this
stage, this mixture is continuously
stirred with a ladle almost six foot
long. This takes a lot of effort on the
part of the workers and they might
take turns stirring the liquid. This
process continues until the water is
evaporated and the syrup is reduced
into a concentrated liquid. During
this stage, the extra material, which
is in the form of foam, is separated
from the refined liquid. Later on,
when the syrup is about to change its
form to a paste, it is then transferred
to another pot where it is cooled.
After this, when it starts to solidify
to a point where the semi-solid
product can be rolled into small
villagers as well as cities. A favourite
for old and young alike, gur wallay
chawal is served at parties and
special occasions. Gur ki roti is
another specialty in which gur is
mixed up with the whole flour and
then is fried in hot deep or shallow
oil as per requirement. Then there
is the Gur ka Halwa. This is also a
sweet dish in which wheat flour,
semolina (suji) and gur are mixed
together to make a quick and tasty
halwa. A cool drink prepared from
gur is quite common in summers in
the country. Specially prepared to
prevent the heating effects of sun,
this drink is made from gur cooled
further with ice.
lumps of coarse pieces, it is shaped
into uneven balls by hand. The gur is
now ready to be eaten or taken to the
market to be sold.
On a medical level, gur
is referred to as medical
sugar. This is because
it has so many natural
minerals and contains
moderate amount
of calcium, phosphorus,
and zinc that helps to
purify blood. Gur has rich
amounts of iron in it as
well. This aids to prevent
anaemia in adults and
younger ones alike.
Apart from being eaten up in raw
form, the final product forms the
basis of several sweet dishes in the
country. Gur wallay chawal (rice with
gur in it) is a very popular dish in
Pakistan. Made with a syrup of gur,
this is a special delicacy made in
Gur, the sweet substitute for
sugar, is commonly used in every
household in the villages of Pakistan.
People like to use it in tea and other
desserts. So next time, you wish
to add a little more sweetness to
your cup of life, pick up a piece
of gur and mix it with your tea or
sweet dish. You will certainly not be
disappointed.
As compared to plain sugar, gur is
a compound of carbohydrates. Thus
it is digested slowly and produces
energy quite slowly so that the
production of energy is done over
a longer period of time without any
harmful effects on the human body.
It is also used to treat stomach
infections.
ourHeritage 55
The UN Year Of
By Maria
Our world is faced with numerous
momentous hurdles and issues,
efforts are being made to address
such concern on international
observance periods that are
established by the United Nations.
On 30, Dec, 2013, the sixty-eighth
session of the United Nations
General Assembly declared 2016
the International Year of Pulses
(IYP). The Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) of the United
Nations has been nominated to
declare and oversee it.
This observance has paved the way
for celebrating the importance of
the protein, fiber and micronutrient
rich pulses and legumes such as
dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas,
lentils and more. It helps in raising
awareness of the role of pulses in
eradicating hunger from world. It
will help in perpetuating the efforts
towards sustainability, health and a
nutritious diet.
The FAO plans to educate people
about the benefits and value of
the legumes and establishing that
they are a much reliable source of
food. Food production system of
corporations will be facilitated so
they may accommodate the use of
these proteins on a grand scale,
ultimately it will also help improve
trade in pulses and crop rotation.
56 ourHeritage
The IYP 2016 will help to highlight
the pulses as a primary source
of nutrients and protein. IYP
Conferences and Broad discussions
will be held at both regional
and global level to find new and
innovative ways to cultivate and
grow the legumes and help pulse
farmers to understand how to
combat the challenges regularly
faced by them. This year offers
abundant opportunities to minimize
the environmental footprint by
altering nitrogen levels in soil thus
improving the soil quality. Production
of pulses emits only 5 percent of
the greenhouse gas emissions
associated with beef production.
According to studies, one serving
of chickpeas contains 1.5 times as
much iron as a 3-ounce serving
of steak; this makes pulses an
excellent source of protein available
at much cheaper prices as compared
to other sources. Developing
countries can greatly benefit from
improvements in pulse productivity,
in addition the legumes are water
efficient, and the plants in turn
enrich the soil, minimizing the
need for chemical fertilizers. It is
believed that pulses have enormous
potential to combat health conditions
such as diabetes and obesity. FAO
director-General, Jose Graziano da
Silva states, “Pulses are important
food crops for the food security of
large proportions of populations,
particularly in Latin America, Africa
and Asia, where pulses are part of
traditional diets and often grown
by small farmers,”UN secretary
General believes that pulses can
contribute significantly in addressing
hunger, malnutrition and human
health.
Organizations across
the world are putting in
their effort to make IYP
a success, they hope the
collaborations, festivals
and discussion will
bring about awareness,
improvement in
productivity and the
methods used. The
World Vegetable Center
(AVRDC) is focusing on the
promotion of mungbean in
Pakistan.
Pulse Canada is researching how
the legumes will pave the way for
improvement in the farming sector. From
its base in Washington, D.C., HarvestPlus
in Washington D.C is gearingup to tackle
iron deficiencies by co-operating with
farmers, NGOs and research institutes to
start production of iron-biofortified beans
A conference in New York, where
experts in various field such as
agriculture, nutrition, food policy,
public health got together and
conducted studies on the scientific
potential of pulses.
The India Pulses and Grains
Association (IPGA) has taken an allencompassing approach which helps
with production and distribution of.
The International Center for Tropical
Agriculture (CIAT), a research
organization of the Consultative
Group for International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR), will make efforts
in promoting the potential of the
protein through a monthly blog
series in Africa.
Various festivals are to be held
during the year in various parts of
the world to celebrate The Year of
Pulses, some are as follows: »
díadelalenteja De Tierra de Campos is an event to celebrate a particular variety of lentils from the north of Spain. tannins found in them. This signals
that they may be an effective agent
in warding off serious diseases such
as cancer. It also decreases the risk
» Sri Lanka’s importers of various cardiovascular diseases,
in affiliation with the Essential helps in reducing blood pressure,
Commodity Importers and positively affects platelet activity and
Trade Association will hold controls inflammation. Pulses have
a festival to celebrate the year a low glycemic index and this helps
of pulses on February 15th
in maintaining healthy insulin and
glucose levels. Progressive research
Benefits of pulses
studies show that the consumption
patterns of aging populations which
Pulses are grown and used
include pulses in the diet may have
throughout the world. They have
further beneficial effects on health.
been consumed for over 10,000
From all the facts at hand it can be
years. There is undoubtedly an
clearly deduced that inclusion of
economic and nutritional value to
these humble beans and lentils in
these energy packed food sources.
the diet is a healthy way to meet
They provide fiber and protein along
dietary recommendations, it is not
with various vitamins. They are
only high in nutritional value but can
enriched with minerals such as zinc,
also serve as a cheaper alternative
iron and magnesium. Consuming a
to other more popular and expensive
handful quantity of beans daily can
sources of proteins and minerals. It
greatly affect health in a positive
can also greatly reduce the struggles
way. Pulses are also a source of
of food shortage many developing
anti-oxidants and possess antior conflict burdened countries face
carcinogenic properties due to the
today.
phytochemicals, saponins, and
Jerry Coleby-Williams, Alison Alexander and for the first time, Glen Barratt
» The event will be hosted by a group of Spanish restaurants which will include lentils in its menus on March 11th 2016.It is promoted by the official regulatory board of the I.G.P Lenteja de Tierra de Campos.
» On May 1, the UK National
Committee is hosting the London Falafel Festival, Falafel competitions will be held between various food vendors. Daniel Young will promote the event which is planned as an outdoor food celebration.
» Australia’s Felton Food Festival is scheduled to be held on October 4. It is renowned for its mung beans and chickpea crops. It will
be a fun filled event that will keep guests entertained. Special guests include Costa Georgiadis, Matt Golinski, ourHeritage 57
FROM
TO
JAMRUD
TURKHAM
Dr. Babur Zahiruddin
Bab-e-Khyber is a
monument which stands at
the entrance of the Khyber
Pass in (FATA). It also is
a historical land mark of
N.W.F.P and now K.P.K, and
is a pride for K.P.K citizens.
Worth mentioning spot after you
leave the Bab-e-Khuber is Teddy
Bazzar. Why it is called teddy bazaar
is another interesting folklore which
could not be authenticated by me
despite my inquiry and interaction
with the locals.
I visited Peshawar and Khyber
agency in connection with the survey
for branches of a bank and my
journey took me to Khyber agency
which I revisited after more than 46
years.
We started our journey early in the
morning from Shahkas, the traffic
was light and our speed was good.
This road has recently been built by
F.W.O and is a mettle road, more
than 60 feet wide on which you can
drive in the cruising gear above 80
Kms per hour.
The first check post that comes on
this road is at Takhta Baig where
the settled area of K.P.K finishes
58 ourHeritage
and Frontier Region Khyber agency
starts.
You have to cross the Jamrud Nallah
and go through Bab–e–Khuyber (Gate
way of Khyber) with the overlooking
Jamrud Fort on the right.
Jamrud is located at an altitude
of 1512 ft, above sea level and is
10.2 miles from Peshawar city
and continues to be of strategic
significance.
Jamrud was conquered by Sikhs in
1836 and Sardar hari Singh Nalwa
the well-known Sikh general, built
this fort, it was also known as
Fatehgarh.
The folklore goes like this that about
five decades ago when the borders
with Afghanistan were open and
there was free trade between the
two countries, the busiest shopping
point was Landikotal.
There was very strict customs
checking after Landikotal hence the
cloth was smuggled on horseback
through mountainous mule tracks
and brought to this place which is
now called Teddy bazaar as in those
days the fashion of tight pants and
shirts was very common hence this
place came to be known as teddy
bazaar. This is the biggest Cloth
Market depot in Pakistan from where
cloth from all over the world comes
to this place and then made in to
railway tracks and bridges by floods.
For a distance you can see a very
big dome like structure which is the
Khyber Gulwali Stupa on the Hillock,
the information about the historical
aspects of this Stupa are lacking.
After crossing the Stupa the next
point is Charwasgai which is a bigger
hamlet.
Finally you reach the Landikotal
cantonment area from where the
road forks and on one side leads to
the Khyber Rifle Mess which has got
historical land marks in it and on the
right side is the cantonment area
and you take the bypass road and go
towards Landikotal bazaar.
smaller lots and sent to the rest of
Pakistan for resale.
On the right side a little after teddy
bazaar is the shrine of Shabnam
Wali Baba Ziarat which is held very
sacred by the orthodox and religious
locals.
Next is Sur Qamar a small hamlet
after which you cross the Bagiari
check post which is over a small
Nallah and the majestic structure of
Shagai Fort welcomes you on your
way.
Shagai Fort was built by
British forces in 1927 to
oversee the Khyber Pass
and to house the Khyber
Rifles, and is today used by
the Pakistan Army.
Parangsum which in the local
language means Cheetah as towards
the beginning of the 17th century
this area was full of wild animals in
which Cheetah was in abundance.
Landikotal traditionally marks the
entrance to Afghanistan. It is the
highest point along the pass and is a
tourist destination due to the historic
Khyber Pass.
The beauty of this road is that the
broad gauge railway line from
Peshawar to Landikotal closely runs
parallel to this road on the right
side which passes through about
34 tunnels which may be a record
at such a height and was opened on
November 3, 1925.
Back in 1960 this was the first
port of call by all the Begum’s and
youngsters who used to throng to
this shopper’s paradise for shopping.
The irony of fate is that this railway
line which was once the envy of
tourists and pride of Pakistan
railways is in a deplorable and
dilapidated condition. It was closed
in 2006 due to washing away of
Another historical turning point
was the great fire somewhere in the
80’s when Landikotal bazaar was
completely gutted by the blazing
inferno.
After you have crossed Landikotal
the road zigzags and finds a descent
down wards when on the left side of
the road after two ravines you can
A very interesting phenomenon here
is that the drinking water to this fort
is brought by pipes all the way from
Warsak Dam via the Katta Kishta
route.
The drive beyond this point is a small
incline as you traverse this road
to climb up to Shamshad Pahari
(Hillock) and Ali Masjid comes on
your right side.
The road from Jamrud to Turkham
is full of check posts due to security
reasons and next check post is
ourHeritage 59
see a small citadel like structure
which is called the Kassab Khana
or Phansi ghat where prisoners
were sent to the gallows. The locals
say that it was built by Taimor Lung
during his reign but I could not find
any corroborative evidence.
The next important landmark is the
Michini Fort which is now the home
of the Frontier Constabulary unit by
the name of Khyber Rifles which is
preserved in its original condition
and maintained by the Khyber Rifles
regiment.
Fishing enthusiasts interested in
fishing will find Michni Fort area as
an angler’s paradise.
The mountains on the side
are the Tatara Mountains
which are about 3500 to
4500 feet high which have
the small town of Michni
Charbag and the bye pass
of landikotal meets at
this place and you have
the water filtration plant
at Landikhana short of
Turkham.
A very interesting historical point is
that at this filtration plant, Mineral
Water is processed and exported
abroad and the place where the
filtration plant is situated in called
60 ourHeritage
Gurk Khula.
We were now at a vantage point
from where we could see the valley
down below which was full of
trucks busses and other forms of
transportation as they were lined up
for export to Afghanistan.
To the front is the great border
crossing between and Pakistan
and Afghanistan where small hand
driven carts come and go from
either side carrying with them veiled
women and children along with
their belongings as a easy mode
of transpiration between the two
countries.
On the right side perched high up
on a hill like a sentinel is Piquet No.
02 which now belongs to Pakistan
and is also called the water piquet
because this was exchanged with
Afghanistan in return for water
provided to the Afghan Piquet and
the Afghan Turkham area.
A very interesting phenomenon
occurs here in this border area
that most of your mobiles give this
message welcome to Afghanistan
by Ehtisalat as the phones catch
Afghanistan mobiles system and go
on roaming. Beware don’t use your
phones as your balance will be eaten
up due to the roaming charges.
The ministry of tourism and the
archeology department must take
special interest in this area to
open up new vistas of foreign and
domestic tourism.
ourHeritage 61
Amir Abbasi
Executive Chef
Islamabad Marriott Hotel
Interview By: Sundus Tauqeer
Amidst the hissing sound of the oil
in the frying pan ready to crack the
skin of potato wedges and the smell
of onions being caramelized stands
Chef Ammir Abbasi in his double
breasted jacket and a chef hat
with the label “Executive Chef”
distinctly manifested on the
front of his jacket. He stands
in his kitchen, majestically
like an enchanter, working
his magic on each and
every dish that the Chef
puts his hands on.
From his childhood, living
in the beautiful hills of
Murree in Pakistan the
Chef’s father having an
army background wanted
his only son to go in the
army, the chef however had
other plans. As soon as he
would get the whiff of clean
linen and food being set up
on the table signifying the
arrival of guests,
the chef would
earnestly
be seen in
the kitchen
learning how
each and every
dish was being
prepared
intrigued by
what happens
in the kitchen
paying
attention to
the intricate
details that
nobody could
expect from a
boy of his age.
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Thus starting his career in the
food industry way before joining
a restaurant professionally
experimenting with new colors
and tastes, mixing and matching
tantalizing the taste buds of whoever
dared savoring his hand cooked
meals. Over the 17 years of his
career, Aamir Abbasi has worked
with the most prominent dignitaries
of the culinary world at exclusive
hotels and restaurants such as
JW Marriot Dubai, OB Foods- Café
Aylanto – Pakistan, United Nations
Club Islamabad, Tamimi Global
TAFGA- KSA, Pearl Continental
Hotels Pakistan, Park Hyatt Jeddah
and Tawadu International- Jeddah.
His expertise lies in
Pakistani, Italian,
Seafood, Mediterranean
and Fusion cuisines. He
has played a significant
role in innovating many
contemporary restaurant
cuisines, his current
project for developing
Pakistani cuisine as
“Modern Pakistani
Cuisine” speaks for itself.
He has a HACCP training
certification from SGS
and Basic Food Hygiene
certification from Dubai
under Chartered Institute
of Environmental Health
UK by Johnson Divercy.
he only learnt how to sing the A for
apple B for ball song when he was in
6th Grade. He stresses that education
is important but passion, patience
and hard work can beat the odds!
These were the ingredients to his
success.
Being able to cook the most
complicated of dishes the Chef
himself finds his personal favorite
to be the very simple Daal Gosht
It doesn’t end here. Chef Aamir is
also a senior member of ‘’Emirates
Culinary Guild” UAE and Associate
Member of Chef’s Association of
Pakistan.
Amongst his many achievements,
Chef was awarded “Young Talent
Award” in 2010 by the Chef’s
Association of Pakistan. He is
also the member of Saudi Arabian
Chef Table Circle (SACTC) and was
nominated for best recipe award in
2009 from north region by UNILEVER
Pakistan. Chef Aamir Abbasi has
been awarded recently as “Campaign
Chef of the Year 2016’’ by UNILEVER
Pakistan.
Becoming a good chef can be a
plausible choice if you have the right
personality” says the Chef while
explaining the constant pressure
the chefs have to bear in the kitchen
standing on their feet for long hours,
surviving hot fumes, cuts and burns,
working on weekends, holidays and
almost every other time when it’s a
holiday for the rest of the world. He
however finds himself to be the only
chef who finds his way back in the
kitchen only a few hours after going
home, states the passion driven Chef.
When asked about his education, the
Chef laughed it off explaining that
when he listens to his kids sing the
ABC song, he finds it funny because
prepared by his mother. He calls his
mother and asks her to prepare his
favorite dish anticipating the delicious
aroma hours before he has even
reached his home town. However
on an average weekend, the Chef
likes to dine at his all-time favorite
restaurant Ziggolini’s at the Marriot
to relish the Risotto.
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Lowari Top
By: Imran Shah
Chitral is connected to
Peshawar and Islamabad through Lowari
pass, a high mountain
pass , located almost at
3000 m (10, 500 feet),
that is closed in winters
due to heavy snowfall
from December till end
of April.
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prime minster Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto
and inaugrated on the 8th of September 1975 but in 1976 with the
change of government, the work on
the tunnel was stopped.
It is a 8.5 Km long tunnel
and its completion would
reduce the 14 hours road
travel to Peshawar as
well as it would also provide with the all weather accessbility to south
Pakistan, that is not accessible during the winter
months through the pass.
Lowari pass was the only crossing
for all the traffic between Chitral
and south Pakistan so the locals in
winters, when the pass is closed,
they used to make it by foot and often
fallen prey to deadly avalanches, so
many precious lives were spared
while crossing this cold hell.
Lowari pass is also known as Hell
road among the truck drivers who
move across the pass with their bedford trucks, on the perilous zig-zags
of the pass.
Peshawar.
Untill 2005, in winters when the pass
was under heavy snow, the locals had
to cross it by foot or to travel across
Kunar province of Afghanistan and
the hostile tribal region of Bajaur and
Mohmand agencies, in order to reach
Peshawar and Islamabad.
In 2005, the pending work on Lowari
tunnel was restarted, as a matter of
fact, the Lowari tunnel project was
inititated by the former Pakistan
Lowari pass played a significant role
during the Great Game days, especially the famous Chitral fort siege
also known as Chitral expedition,
when Chitral fort was besieged by
a Pushtoon invader “ Umra Khan”
from Afghanistan, the fort was
relieved through Lowari pass from
Peshawar and Shandoor pass from
Gilgit by Colonel James Kelly.
Chitral, the north western remote
corner of Khyber Phuktunkhwa province of Pakistan, famous for its beautiful mountain peaks, scenic valleys
and the ancient Kalash tribes, living
in the 3 Kalash valleys, for centuries.
Chitral is a famous tourist destination among the foreign tourists as
well the tourists from south Pakistan
, who resort to the region to enjoy the
scenic beauty, serenity and peace,
however, the region is very busy
during the festival days of Kalash
tribes, who live in the 3 valleys of
Kalash, some 45 Km drive from the
main town.
On the other hand, the foriegn
tourists visit Chitral for climbing and
trekking, as a matter of fact, Chitral
is blessed with high mountain peaks,
that attract the foreign and locals
trekkers and climbers, so Lowari
pass is the only passage for them,
while coming from Islamabad and
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