Those few places in Pakistan which are still inaccessible to ‘development’ are the ones that have managed to retain their natural beauty, unspoilt by the uncivilised pollution of civilisation. To discover these hidden gems, nature lovers and wanderers must go off the beaten track, sometimes for hours on end, to places where no highway can bring destructive traffic in its wake.

These places are accessible only by 4x4 drives. Of course, you may still find the odd gnat-like Honda CD70 and the lone braveheart Mehran/Cultus parked nonchalantly in full picnic form at your ‘inaccessible’ site when you reach there proudly, after much endeavour in your pimped-up 4x4 — but that is another story.

The off-roader is the one who loves to experience the thrill of exploring and tackling different challenging surfaces, including mud, sand, gravel, rocks, boulders, ice and snow, and various natural terrains such as sand dunes, riverbeds, river crossings, and forest tracks.

Road networks in Pakistan are a recent development. When Hanif Bhatti started his off-road travels in the 1970s to explore the land, he paved his own way into the unknown. He started his off-roading journey in his teens when he started driving to his farmlands near Gharo on a 1950s Willys jeep, gifted to him by his father.

“Back in the ’70s there were no roads in most interior areas, only dirt tracks, and I used these to explore Southern Balochistan and many areas of Sindh,” says Bhatti.

From 1970 to date, he may have covered over a hundred thousand kilometers of off-road track and collected a treasure trove of lifetime experiences, including all four tyres going flat, getting stuck in mud countless times, and being submerged in flash floods. Even now, every other day, he gets behind the wheel of his 1993 2.8L Diesel Pajero and sets off for the mountains and rivers of Balochistan, his favourite off-roading terrain.

For the die-hard off-roader, there is no season or weather for the sport. It’s skill and thrill that takes him or her though the chosen terrain

“Off-roading is an expensive, time-consuming sport — most of the time you and your ride are at the mechanic’s for repair and maintenance, and [the mechanic’s] is a popular hang-out for 4x4 owners. As for the best performance jeeps, all road-worthy 4x4s are good enough, if the driver is good enough,” he says. “Though I prefer all terrain tyres, mud terrain tyres are good, too. The engine power needed depends on the terrain — some terrains don’t need power, they need skill. I have seen a 1,000cc 4x4 off-roading in places where 4,200cc jeeps get stuck. The skill of tackling various terrains rests largely with the driver, not the vehicle,” he says.

When you are an off-road wanderer like Aqeel Baig (that is also the name of his group of avid off-roaders), you enjoy the difficulties of the sport. “Off-roading is an adventure. I like it most when we face the challenge of getting stuck — it polishes my skill of handling different scenarios,” says Baig.

“Planning and preparing for an off-roading trip is also part of the fun of the journey. After we have selected a location, the terrain is discussed in detail with feedback from local contacts. We carry tested rescue gear, including tow ropes, kinetic ropes, shovels, fan belts, hoses, engine fluids, puncture kits, toolkits, medical emergency kits and sufficient ration to last double the planned days,” he explains.

 It is also important to have GPS to be able to backtrack to civilisation if one gets stuck or lost where there is nobody to help; a route map of the location with coordinates and marked tracks; a travel log with estimated departure, stop, and arrival times; knowledge of petrol pumps, food and toilet stops en route; preferably local contacts, hosts, and guides; knowledge of the local temperature and weather conditions, and predictions for any potential events such as flash floods; and to pack the essentials, especially for emergencies and unforeseen incidents.

Both the seasoned off-roaders stress on safety tips for the newbie off-roader.

“Off-roading is not child’s play, one should always go fully prepared with all necessary gear and equipment,” advises Bhatti. “It is not recommended to go solo on off-roading trips. At least two buddy jeeps with a good rapport and shared-responsibility system should go in a convoy, in case of any kind of emergency.”

Aqeel Baig reiterates the safety-first concept: “Always test your ride and your capabilities before a trip. Take calculated risks only. And above all, don’t go alone on an off-road trip.”  

He encourages newcomers to join the club and polish their skills with their own experiences, and shares some of his own experienced tips:

Know your own and your ride’s capabilities before a trip.

Run essential pre-checks, such as all engine fluids check and last change reading; oil, fuel, and air cleaners in order; tyres in good condition; and no abnormal sound and leakage from engine suspension.  

Get your 4x4 checked and repaired after trips and run it in the city for a while to ensure that the repairs are fine. Don’t undertake any major work right before a trip; mechanics sometimes mess up things which can cost dearly on the trip.

Don’t push your ride to the maximum limit on each trip; give it enough rest on serious hardcore trips.

On long trips, carry out a thorough inspection of the engine while it is running to check if the belts are fine, that there is no oil leak, and the fluid levels are at par. ‘Feel’ the engine sound before and during the trip for any irregularities.

While there are plenty of off-roading tracks in the northern mountainous regions of Pakistan, leading to hill resorts, lakes, glaciers and mountain base camps, Sindh and Balochistan have their fair share as well. In Sindh, the track leading up to Gorakh Hills includes boulder strewn stream beds with the streams sucked dry, thrilling hair-bend turns and almost perpendicular inclines.

The Kirthar National Park towards Karchaat has lovely jeep tracks from Thano Bula Khan worth exploring, especially in the monsoons, and Tharparkar is the perfect stage for some desert dune bashing. In Balochistan, where there are fewer paved roads and consequently more natural beauty, there are countless jeepable tracks, including in the Hingol National Park (Poldat, Goran Ghatti, Phachri, Baat Waterfall); Gaaj Kolachi in Khuzdar; Kharrari; Kanrach; and Moola Chootuk, to name a few.  

Pakistan also has an active 4x4 rally calendar including the Jhal Magsi, Cholistan, Mithi, Gwadar and Thal rallies for off-roading enthusiasts.

For the die-hard off-roader, there is no season for the sport. Each different season and weather gives a different feeling of the terrain. The rolling plains of Goth Haji Ismail Khan are like two different places in winter and post monsoon. In winter, the grass turns golden, glinting in the sunshine as it sways in the breeze. In the monsoon, the hills turn a bright moss green, seeming even more lush under an overcast sky, and alive with songbirds of several kinds.

The love for going off the beaten track has to be in one’s nature — only then can one enjoy the love for nature in no man’s land.

Published in Dawn, EOS, September 20th, 2020