Pakistan is full of beautiful and historical places. However, the tragedy is that people are more interested in going abroad and talking about the beauty they see there, rather than highlighting the grandeur of our own country.

I am taking this opportunity to share with the readers a few beautiful places I have visited, which were simply astounding and have instilled in me the desire to know more about my country.

Our four-hour journey started from Islamabad, where we live, to the beautiful river near Kalabagh, called the mighty Indus. The water seemed tempting so I wanted to go for a swim but my parents rebuffed my idea, telling me that the water was too deep and it was not safe even for adults. Therefore, we went only for boating.

Though it was summer, the water was quite cold. After sailing on the river for more than an hour, we saw a majestic long red bridge, near the town of Kalabagh.

Our boat stopped near a building with a beautiful garden, where we had a traditional lunch featuring delicacies like saag, karela, lassi and pulao, which our local host had arranged for us. The lunch was simply irresistible!

When we were done with the lunch, we were left impressed with the hospitality of the town people as they presented us with traditional souvenir made from salt. Salt-stone crafts are a specialty of this town. We were also informed that lightening the salt-stone lamp keeps small bugs and insects away.

After thanking the host, we left to visit the bungalow of the Nawab of Kalabagh. It is a historical place with an impressive grandeur, a place where the Nawab of Kalabagh lived.

By then, evening had already fallen. It was a serene and beautiful evening; we decided to visit the historical town of Mianwali and stay there in a hotel. Mianwali is about 45 minutes’ drive from Kalabagh town.

The next day, after having a scrumptious breakfast, we left for a place called Soon Valley in Khushab district. I must say, it is a paradise on earth. Green fields, mountains and lakes make this place a wonder in itself. We had yet another boat ride in Khabeki Lake. Due to good rainfall, the lake was full of water. Being Sindhi ourselves, we were surprised to find the boatman a Sindhi too. We took a lot of pictures and selfies to capture these memorable views and moments.

The boatman told us about various local things and we enjoyed his company and the boat ride very much. Then, we visited a garden built during the British era, named Kanhati Garden in the middle of mountains.

This garden was another beauty. A small waterfall was the central attraction of the garden. By the time we left the garden, it was evening.

Our last destination of the day was another lake called Kalar Kahar. We had evening tea at the terrace of a restaurant just in front of the lake. It was a lovely evening. Our journey ended there. I will never forget the beautiful experience I had.

Published in Dawn, Young World September 2nd, 2017