Destination of the week – Jhelum – The city of soldiers

Jhelum is located in the Jhelum district
of Punjab province, on the right of River Jhelum. The city is famous for providing a large number of soldiers to Pakistan armed forces, and is therefore known as City of Soldiers or Land of Martyrs and Warriors. It is an ancient metropolis of rulers, well-known for its archeological digs and the tranquil river that originates in the Himalayas. Jhelum has subtropical climate –scorching heat in the summers and cold and dry in the winter season.

During the last few years, the city has experienced a huge growth, and has expanded and developed due to several emerging industries (tobacco, wood, marble, glass, flour mills) which have set up factories and their base in Jhelum. Due to its significance, Jhelum is connected to several cities through National Highway, including Islamabad that is just 1-hour and 30 minutes’ drive. 

Jovago’s top 3
1.       Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Masjid Jhelum

CMH Masjidis a beautiful mosque situated in Jhelum Cantt. The white marbled, beautiful mosque is designed in a manner that captures the legacy of Islamic art. Its foundation was laid by General Muhammad Ayub Khan on March 21, 1950 and opening ceremony was headed by Governor of Punjab Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar. The mosque is enormous has the capacity to accommodate more than 25,000 people at a time.

2.       Rohtas Fort
Rohtas Fort is a historical brigade Fort, located near the city of Jhelum. It was built in the 16^th century by Raja Todar Mal, to defeat the rebellious tribes of northern Punjab. The fort is a gigantic structure comprised of huge sand stone brick walls, terraces, staircases and 12 gates - built in ashlar stone. It is a glorious landmark that is definitely worth a visit.
3.       Major Akram Shaheed Memorial Park
Major Akram Shaheed Memorial Park is a memorial botanical garden for Major Muhammad Akram Shaheed, located in the center of Jhelum city. The Park has dazzling floral arrangements and lush green forestry. Major Muhammad Akram Memorial Library is also a part of this park, and consists of a wide collection of literature.
Tips
Restaurants
A number of local and branded eateries can be found in Jhelum for your flavor. Restaurants serve traditional and continental food that, made by experienced chefs.
Shopping
Jhelum has an endearing shopping experience. The city consists of plenty of shopping arenas such as Main Bazaar, Naya Bazaar, Raja Bazaar, Kinari Bazaar, Sarafa Bazaar,Chowk-Ehl-e-Hadith and Soldier Arcade. Some of the main shopping malls located in Jhelum are Shabir Plaza, Saleem Center and Ladies’s Mart.
Hotels
Jovago Pakistan has many hotels and guest houses in Jhelum with different price ranges such as Zeelaf Hotel. Book now on the No.1 online hotel booking site of Pakistan and get the best prices.

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Sahiwal City

Sahiwal

Sahiwal is a city located in central Punjab, and lies between Multan and Lahore. Sahiwal is around a four to five hour drive away from the National Highway and the fertile plains of Punjab. Irrigation in this area is provided by the Bari Doab Canal system. It has been recorded as the 22^nd largest city in Pakistan, with a population of over 200,000.

Jovago’s Top 3

01. Harappa

Harappa is an archaeological site dating back to 6000 BCE and it is about 24 km west of Sahiwal. The site adopts its name from a modern village located near the former course of the Ravi River. The ancient site adopted its name from the current village Harappa, which is 6km from this area.

 02. The Shrine of Baba Fareed

This shrine is located in Pakpattan, one of the ancient cities in Pakistan. The shrine is decorated with white marble, and the tomb can house around ten people. Unfortunately no women are allowed, but exceptions were made for Benazir Bhutto and the wife of the late Haji Manzoor Hussain. The shrine is also known as Nuri Darwaza and Bahishti Darwaza, translating to the Gate of Light and the Gate of Paradise.

03. Zafar Ali Stadium

The Zafar Ali Stadium can seat 50,000 people, and was named after Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, who was one of the leaders in the Pakistan Movement. Imran Khan played his first international match in this stadium, and two One Day International cricket matches were hosted in this stadium, Pakistan v England and Pakistan vs India.

Tips:

Restaurants

When in Sahiwal, a visit to Meerab is essential, serving its customers with high quality food and exquisite flavors. Two local Café’s to visit are Shawarma Hut and FazaleHaq Dera Sahiwal, for a delicious meal.

Shopping

Azaan Heights is the largest mall in Sahiwal, offering its customers with over 40 local brands, which sell everything from shoes to cosmetics. Shopping in Sahiwal is a gratifying experience, since you get to enjoy the regionally originated products.

Hotels

To book hotels in Sahiwal visit the Jovago.com site for amazing deals at the cheapest prices and flawless service by the Jovago team.

Airport

The Sahiwal Airport is located in an area, which will cause minimal disturbance to the city, and conserve the natural beauty of Sahiwal.

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The ancient city of Pakistan

Thatta is an ancient city located around 100 km from Karachi. With approximately 250,000 inhabitants, the city has a lot of historical monuments and is considered as a tourist spot for those wanting to learn about the history of Pakistan. In fact historians say Thatta may have been the main port on the Indus during the time of Alexander the Great’s invasion. A lot of schools and universities take their students to Thatta to learn about the history of Pakistan.

The poverty rate in Thatta is very high, and a lot of people live in small tent houses. Thatta is extremely hot, and it wouldn’t be advisable to travel there during the summer seasons. In 2010 there were severe floods that hit Thatta, which caused a lot of damaged crops, cattle deaths and approximately 175,000 people were displaced.

1 – Makli hills

The necropolis of Thatta is considered as a UN World Heritage site. With a diameter of approximately 8km, the necropolis has over 125,000 rulers buried over there,

including Sufi saints.

2 – Shah Jahan Mosque

The mosque was built in 1647, as a gift for the people of Sindh by Mughal King, Shah Jahan, as a gift for the people for their hospitality. The structure is beautiful with 93 domes and beautiful tiles. Since 1993, it has been on the tentative UNESCO World Heritage list.

3 – Gujjo Twn

While traveling to Thatta, you will come across two famous towns – Gujjo town and Thame village. They are both fish farms, so if you really want to have some fish they would be the perfect place for a pit stop.

TIPS For Tourist:  

Restaurants:

Just like any other town of Pakistan, there are a lot of places to eat located in Thatta. The food served is usually typical Pakistani food, but Thatta is very famous for fish because of the lakes. Because of the heat it is advised that you constantly drink water.

Shopping:

Shopping in Thatta is very popular because of the local products manufactured in the area. The bazaars of Thatta are known for their hand-printed fabrics, glass bangles, Sindhi embroidery and handicrafts (pottery etc.). People come to Thatta just to purchase these products.

Hotels:

Jovago.com has many hotels and guest houses in Thatta with different price ranges. Book now onwww.jovago.com

and get the best prices.

Money: 

Pakistan Rupees, All International Credit Card (Visa; MasterCard) are accepted in the ATM.

Exchange Rate:

http://www.xe.com/currency/pkr-pakistani-rupee

Nearest Airport: 

Jinnah International Airport, 87km from Thatta

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