Pakistan Things to Do Tips by Faiza-Ifrah

I strongly recommend that travelers should study ancient Indus Valley Civilization and then see Pakistan as its extension in the present age.

The civilization flourished between 3000 B.C. to 1500 B.C along the Indus River and its several tributaries in areas now comprising India, Pakistan and northeastern Afghanistan.

In the words of Sir Mortimer Wheeler, famed British Archaeologist, "No part of the world is richer in vestiges of a varied past than Pakistan." He also writes, "Pakistan boasts of Indus Valley Civilization, which was one of the first three mature civilizations of the world".

Whereas it’s contemporary Egyptian and Mesopotamian / Babylonian civilizations were known for their pyramids and temples / hanging gardens respectively, the Indus valley civilization was known for its city architecture. The city as well as house designs seem to be work of a central authority. All towns were designed according to one specification and individual houses too had a similar 3 rooms, one courtyard design.

While the individual citizens of Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations were poor and lived in thatched huts, the Indus valley civilization was a 100% middle class trading society the inhabitants of which lived in the comfort of houses with an advanced drainage system and without any military, ruling or a priestly class. All its cities were therefore, self-governing in accordance with an unwritten code of law.

Although ruins have been discovered in east Punjab in India and even up in northeastern Afghanistan, it is mainly in Pakistan that the traces of this civilization have been found in the ruins of Moen-jo-Daro, Amri (on the right bank of the Indus in Sind), Kot Diji (on the left bank), up in the plains of the Punjab at Harrapa (near the city of Sahiwal), and in Rehman Dheri near Dera Ismail Khan.

Lack of any army probably brought the demise of this civilization also at the hands of invading marauders.

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Directions: In Sind, Moen-jo-Daro, Amri (on the right bank of the Indus in Sind), Kot Diji (on the left bank), up in the plains of the Punjab at Harrapa (near the city of Sahiwal), and in Rehman Dheri near Dera Ismail Khan (NWFP).

I have uploaded one photograph of a small statue of the 'Fasting Buddha' below. This statue was discovered in the archaeological sites in the North West frontier province (NWFP).

Buddhist civilization flourished in parts of both Afghanistan and Pakistan. whereas the statues of Buddha have been desecrated in the Taliban's Afghanistan (at Bamyan), Pakistan’s SWAT Valley of NWFP (some 100 miles north of Peshawar) still boasts of several sites, especially at its southern entrance near capital Saidu Shareef. All of the sites are still intact due mainly to the peaceful nature of swat's inhabitants.

There, amongst other archaeological relics, you can still find a giant statue of fasting Buddha engraved on a rock of limestone. The nearby town of Marghazar with a royal palace also wears the same white color.

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Address: Swat Valley, NWFP, Pakistan

Pakistan has good museums in Karachi, Bhambor, Hyderabad, Mohenjo Daro, Lahore, Taxila, and Peshawar. Of this list, we liked the one in Peshawar depicting the heritage of that province.

Pakistanis love their military. Travelers should visit museums of the Pakistan Airforce, Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Army.

The three museums showcase fighter planes, naval ships and submarines and military arms and ammunition used by Pakistan Armed Forces since 1947 (and even before) in a historic perspective. All the three museums display their repertoire in the open area, where visiting families seem to picnic too, and also under covered structures.

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Directions: Pakistan Airforce and Pakistan Navy museums are located in Karachi. Pakistan Army museum is located in Rawalpindi. All the transport modes know the exact locations.