Faisal Mosque

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The Faisal Mosque located in capital Islamabad (named after the late King Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia) is the largest Mosque in Pakistan & South Asia and the sixth largest Mosque in the world. Faisal Mosque is National Mosque of Pakistan completed in 1986 then was also an origin of International Islamic University, now serves as University's old campus. Fasial Mosque held position as the largest Mosque in the world from 1986 to 1993.

It has a covered area of 5,000 m2 (54,000 sq ft)and has a capacity to accommodate approximately 300,000 worshippers (100,000 in its main prayer hall, courtyard and porticoes and another 200,000 in its adjoining grounds). Faisal Mosque has the third largest capacity of accommodating worshippers in its adjoining grounds after the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque) of Mecca, the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Medina. Each of the Mosque's four minarets are 80 m (260 ft) high (the tallest minarets in South Asia) and measure 10 x 10 m in circumference.

The mosque's relatively unusual design fuses contemporary lines with the more traditional look of an Arab Bedouin's tent, with its large triangular prayer hall and four minarets. However, unlike traditional masjid design, it lacks a dome. The minarets borrow their design from Turkish tradition and are thin and pencil like. The interior of this prayer hall holds a very large chandelier and its walls are decorated with mosaics and calligraphy by the famous Pakistani artist Sadequain.

The mosque's architecture is a departure from the long history of South Asian Islamic architecture. It is one of the most outstanding and modern Islamic architecture examples in the world.

Jaglot View Point

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Gasho Pahote village is a host village for "View Point" landmark, a junction point of three mountain ranges, the Karakoram, Himalayas and Hindu Kush. A nearly 15 feet higher surface platform made of mountain rocks makes a perfect view-point as center point of these world three tallest ranges of mountains. Standing on platform facing Hindu Kush, left hand side is Himalayas, on right hand side is the Karakoram. View Point was also featured in BBC Saira Khan's Pakistan Adventure documentary.

Gasho Pahote is one of the fifteen villages of Jaglot Town; however it is considered as a part of Jaglot due to its adjacent location. Jaglot is in Gilgit District Pakistan, situated 45km south of Gilgit on the Karakoram Highway (KKH). Jaglot is a fertile valley with rich natural resources and is one of the business hubs of the Gilgit-Baltistan (formely Northern Areas) due to the fact that all six districts have access through Jaglot. The town is also contains the largest oil, wheat and flour depots for the Gilgit-Baltistan. The population of Jaglot, including the suburbs, is approximately 27,000 comprising of three thousand houses and an education ratio of 33%.

The Battle of Chawinda

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The Battle of Chawinda in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was one of the largest tank battles since the Battle of Kursk in World War II. September 6, 1965 India attacked on Pakistan at Sialkot border with 80,000-150,000 infantry holding 708 tanks in an intention of seizing the Grand Trunk Road at Wazirabad. Pakistan defended with 30,000-80,000 infantry holding 600 tanks.

Pakistani forces repulsed Indian attacks on Chawinda. A large Indian assault on 18 September involving India's 1st Armoured and 6th Mountain Divisions was repelled, with the 1st Armoured Division being mauled and being taken out of action, while the 6th Indian mountain division lay disintegrated in front of the Pakistani defences. The Indians withdrew to a defensive position near their original bridgehead. The Pakistanis followed up by launching Operation Windup, which forced the Indians back across the international border for some part, though the coming of the ceasefire meant that the Indians still managed to retain substantial territory.

The Indian Army failed to achieve any of its stated objectives. Their main objective was to capture Sialkot and thus cut the main Grand Trunk Road, splitting Pakistan in two. In the process, they had seen their most powerful formations performing, but even with strategic surprise and a superiority in men and material, the Indian Army had been halted and pushed back for some part.

K2

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K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth (after Mount Everest) With a peak elevation of 8,611 metres (28,251 ft). K2 is part of the Karakoram range located on the border between Gilgit, in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan and the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China. K2 is just 237 m (778 ft) smaller than the 8,848 m (29,029 ft) tall Mount Everest.

K2 is known as the Savage Mountain due to the difficulty of ascent and the 2nd highest fatality rate among the 'eight thousanders' for those who climb it. For every four people who have reached the summit, one has died trying. Unlike Annapurna, the mountain with the highest fatality rate, K2 has never been climbed in winter.

All major climbing routes lie on the Pakistani side, which is also where the base camp "Abruzzi Spur" is located. Base camp Abruzzi Spur was named after first attempted by Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi in 1909.

There are a number of routes on K2, of somewhat different character, but they all share some key difficulties of extreme high altitude, lack of oxygen, extreme storms of several days, the steep, exposed, and committing nature of all routes on the mountain.

Three hollywood movies have featured K2.

Vertical Limit, 2000

K2, 1992

Karakoram & Himalayas, 2007

Khewra Salt Mines

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Khewra Salt Mines is the 2nd largest salt mine in the world & attracts approx. 40,000 visitors per year. The only oldest salt mines in South Asia was discovered by the horses of "Alexandar, The Great" and salt has been mined at Khewra since 320 BC in an underground area of about 110 sq. km.

Situated in the foothills of the Salt Range, Khewra salt mine has estimated total of 220 million tones of rock salt deposits. The current production from the mine is 325,000 tons salt per annum.

The mine-head buildings have 19 stories, with 11 below ground. Only 50% salt is extracted and 50% is left as pillers to keep the mountain. The salt-mine is 288 meters above sea level and extends around 730 meters inside the mountains from the mine-mouth. The cumulative length of all tunnels is more than 40 km. Visitors get guides for a walk tour of an hour or so through the visitors allowed storey of mines with all information and history of Khewra Salt Mines.

Salt occurs in a Pre-Cambrian deposit in the form of an irregular dome like structure. There are seven thick salt seams with a cumulative thickness of about 150 meters. At places the rock salt is 99% pure. Salt is transparent, white, pink, reddish to beef-color red. There are beautiful alternate bands of red and white color salt.

Salt-made attractions like Post office, cafe, cyber-cafe, mosque, salt-lake & Mirror-House (Sheesh Mahal) are the most prominent through the tunnel a visitor come across during their tour.

Shandur Top

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The oldest royal polo square is the 16th century Gilgit Polo Field, Pakistan, while the highest polo ground in the world, Shandur, located in district Chitral, Pakistan at 4,307 meters (14,000 ft)

Shandur Pass is the highest mountain pass at 3,800 meters from sea level between Chitral and Gilgit towns in Gilgit-Biltistan, Pakistan. Shandur Top situated beside Shandur Pass hold the Highest Polo Ground in the world at 4,307 meters from sea level with flat surface, gradual grade & a host of annual "Gilgit Polo Festival". The festival also includes Folk music, dancing and a camping village is set up.

Gilgit, Chitral and Skardu have always played the game of polo closest to its original form. Polo is an equestrian sport with its origin embedded in Central Asia dating back to 6th century BC. At first it was a training game for cavalry units for the King's Guards or other Elite troops. To the warlike tribesmen who played polo with as many as 100 players to a side, it was a miniature battle. It became a Persian national game in the 6th century AD. From Persia, the game spread to Arabia, then to Tibet, China and Japan. In China, in the year 910, death of a favourite relative in a game prompted Emperor Apaochi to order beheading of all players.

Reko Diq

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Reko Diq is a giant copper and gold project place in Chaghi, Pakistan making it one of the largest copper & gold reserves in the world. The main license (EL5) is held jointly by the Government of Balochistan (25%), Antofagasta Minerals (37.5%) and Barrick Gold.

Reko Diq could be called Tangav Diq, or Gold Peak, because below the sands lie some 12.3 million tons of copper and 20.9 million ounces of gold. The copper-gold deposits at Reko Diq are believed to be even bigger than those of Sarcheshmeh in Iran and Escondida in Chile which makes it the largest copper & gold reserve of the world.

Picture at bottom shows the rock extracted from Reko Diq mine clearly displays the existence of large amount of gold on it.