The eighth wonder of the world; the Karakoram Highway
If the eighth wonder can be included in the list of the seven wonders of the world, it is none other than the Karakoram Highway. Starting from Havelian to Dara Khanjrab, this 806 km long highway is a masterpiece of engineering and a commercial, economic and defense aqueduct of Pakistan. This route is nothing new. For centuries, caravans used this route to bring tea, porcelain and silk mules to Gilgit from China, from where they carried gold jewelery and spices under the barter system. During this journey, falling from the mountains, landslides often resulted in loss of life and property at the hands of robbers. Turning this ancient and dangerous road into a highway was no small or easy task. The difficulty of this work can be gauged from the fact that it was initially assigned to a European firm.
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The firm's engineers, after conducting an aerial survey of the area, ruled it impossible to build a road between these rocky mountains and cliffs. Pakistan then pledged to carry out the task on its own with the help of neighboring China. An agreement between the two countries began in 1966 to make this impossible possible. The magnitude and breadth of this work can be gauged from the fact that 15,000 Pakistani and 9,500 Chinese experts and workers were engaged in this work simultaneously.
It has 24 major bridges, 70 small bridges and 1708 waterways. 8,000 tons of dynamite were used to build the highway by making holes in the chests of long mountain ranges and about 30 million cubic meters of mountain rocks were removed from the path. Its construction used 80 million kilograms of cement. The Pakistan Air Force carried out the work of transporting construction equipment and machinery to the desired location. In some places it was so difficult that only a few meters of road could be built in a month. Eventually the day came when this highway was completed and an impossible task was made possible by the high morale of man, but during this time 408 people were killed and 314 seriously injured while the number of minor injuries is in the thousands. This highway is a living proof of human courage, hard work and high potential. Traveling on this highway is the desire of every Pakistani. It is a memorable journey.
The whole route goes through beautiful scenery, high mountain ranges, muddy rivers and some of the highest peaks in the world. Let us take you on this highway today. If you start your journey from Islamabad then traveling on Peshawar Road (GT Road) at a distance of 48 km you will come to the historic city of Hassan Abdal which is world famous because of the Sikh Gurdwara Panja Sahib. Turn right from here About an hour later comes Havelian, which is famous for its military barracks. From here the Karakoram Highway begins. Abbottabad is reached by passing through Havelian and Haripur. It is a big city because of its famous Pakistan Army's Kakul Academy and the cool place Thandiani. From here there is a beautiful road from Nathiagli to Murree.
Mansehra is surrounded by pine trees just 26 kms from Abbottabad. From here a road leads to Kagan valley, but our journey is further on. Which is the first bridge over the river Indus. On one side of this bridge is Mansehra district and on the other side is Swat district. This is where the existent escapade of the Karakoram Highway begins. Walking on a winding road with skyscrapers, twists and turns, and on the other side, in a deep ravine, the river Indus is flowing in some places and in some places it is flowing in the mountains. During the journey, if a vehicle or truck comes from the front, while crossing it, the passenger who is heading towards the ditch stops breathing and at a distance of a few inches deep ditch feels like it is calling towards him.
But it would be an exaggeration not to appreciate the hard work of the drivers traveling on this highway who travel for hours on these difficult roads. The accident rate here is very low. While traveling on the Karakoram Highway, lush green spots can be seen in some places towards the ditch. These are the fields of the local people. The greenery looks great in the brown background of the mountain, but at the same time it gives an idea of how these people would be living in this remote area without basic necessities. After the Karakoram Highway was built,
Besham is just 28 km from Thakot. A historic fort is also visible from the road. A road from here leads to Swat via Shangla Pass. In addition to many hotels and restaurants, Besham has a large bazaar which is open 24 hours a day. Is. The city is a major hub for transportation on the Karakoram Highway. Besham is followed by Patan Comilla and Sazin's difficult terrain. Then suddenly the atmosphere and scenery changes and the journey begins in an open and flat area. After a journey of 7 to 8 hours near the gorge attached to the mountain walls, this expanse looks good. There is also a feeling of warmth. Because Chilas, one of the hottest places in Pakistan, is nearby. Chilas has many hotels and a very large market.
From here a long and difficult trek leads to the Shamshal Valley. This is the favorite track of foreign tourists. The High Porters here are world famous for their mountaineering. There is a check post here through which we go to China. At a short distance from the check post, the highest pass is Dara Khanjrab.
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