|
 Pakistan is a land of
many splendours. The scenery changes northward from coastal beaches,
lagoons and mangrove swamps in the south to sandy deserts, desolate
plateaus, fertile plains, dissected upland in the middle and high
mountains with beautiful valleys, snow-covered peaks and eternal glaciers
in the north.
The variety of
landscape divides Pakistan into six major regions:
the North High
Mountainous Region,
the
Western Low Mountainous Region,
the Balochistan Plateau,
the Potohar Uplands,
the Punjab and
the Sindh Plains.
 High Mountain Region:
Stretching in the North, from east to west, are a series of high mountain
ranges which separate Pakistan from China, Russia and Afghanistan. They
include the Himalayas, the Karakoram and the Hindukush. The Himalayas
spread in the north-east and the Karakoram rises on the north-west of the
Himalayas and extends eastward up to Gilgit. The Hindu Kush mountains lie
to the north-west of the Karakoram, but extend eastward into Afghanistan.
With the assemblage of 35 giant peaks over 24,000 ft. high (7,315m), the
region is the climbers' paradise. Many summits are even higher than 26,000
ft.(7,925 m) and the highest K-2(Mt.Godwin Austin) is exceeded only by
Mt.Everest. Inhospitable and technically more difficult to climb than even
Everest, they have taken the biggest toll of human lives in the annals of
mountaineering.
 The passes are rarely lower than
the summit of Mt. Blanc and several are over 18,000 ft. (5,485 m). The
Karakoram Highway, that passes through the mountains, is the highest trade
route in the world. Besides, the region abounds in vast glaciers, large
lakes and green valleys which have combined at places to produce holiday
resorts such as Gilgit, Hunza and Yasin in the west and the valleys of
Chitral, Dir, Kaghan and Swat drained by rivers Chitral, Pankkora, Kunhar
and Swat respectively in the east. Dotted profusely with scenic spots
having numerous streams and rivulets, thick forests of pine and junipers
and a vast variety of fauna and flora, the Chitral, Kaghan and Swat
valleys have particularly earned the reputation of being the most
enchanting tourist resorts of Pakistan.
South of the
high mountains, the ranges lose their height gradually and settle down
finally in the Margalla hills (2,000-3,000 ft.) in the vicinity of
Islamabad, the Capital of Pakistan, and Swat and Chitral hills, north of
river Kabul. Although the climate of the region is extremely diverse,
according to aspect and elevation, yet as a whole it remains under the
grip of severe cold from November to April. May, June and July are
pleasant months. The southeren slopes receive heavy rainfall and
consequently are covered with forest of deodar, pine, poplar and willow
trees. The more northerly ranges and north-facing slopes receive
practically no rains and are, therefore, without trees.
There is a
considerable trans-humane from the mountains to the plains in winter and
from plains to the mountains in summer. The permanent settlers grow corn,
maize, barely, wheat and rice on the terraced fields and also raise
orchards of apples, apricots, peaches and grapes. Peaks and Glaciers Eric
Shipton, a great mountainer who perished in Pakistan's Northern Areas,
wrote in his account. To describe this region is to indulge in
superlatives, for everywhere you look are the highest, the longest and the
largest mountains, glaciers and rivers in the world.
Making some
allowance for Shipton's tendency towards slight exaggeration, born out of
awe and fascination, the fact remains that Pakistan boasts of the largest
share of the highest mountain peaks in the world. Its own highest peak,
the famed and dreaded K-2, is the second highest in the world, being just
some `ropes' short of the Everest in Nepal. With due respect to the
Everest, K-2 is regarded as far more firmidable to climb than its
relatively facile superior. Three of the mightiest mountain systems- the
Hindukush, the Karakorams and the Himalayas- adorn the forehead of
Pakistan. The second highest peak of Himalayas, as also of Pakistan, is
the Nanga Parbat which literally means the "Naked Mountain".
Pakistan has
seven of the 16 tallest peaks in Asia. The statistics are simply baffling:
40 of the world's 50 highest mountains are in Pakistan; in Baltistan over
45 peaks touch or cross the 20,000 foot mark; in Gilgit within a radius of
65 miles, there are over two dizens peaks ranging in height between 18,000
to 26,000 feet.
The
awe-inspiring beauty provided inspiration to a Pakistani writer to observe
lyrically, "in Pakistan's lofty mountain regions, reaching for the sky
doesn't seem too ambitious". Pakistan's Eight Thousanders: There are a
total of 14 main peaks soaring above 8000 metres in the world. Out of
these, 8 are located in Nepal, 5 in Pakistan and 1 in China. It has become
prestigious to make these peaks as targets by mountaineers every year. In
fact, successful climb over these peaks is considered an enviable measure
of their attainment. By far, the largest number of mountaineering
expeditions visiting Pakistan has been coming from Japan.
K-2 (8611m) It
is the second highest mountain the world. It was first attempted by Martin
Conway's expedition in 1902 which was composed of British, Austrian and
Swiss climbers. Ashraf Aman was the first Pakistani climber to climb on
top of K-2 with five other climbers of the Jap-Pak expedition in 1977,
with Ichire Yoshizawa as its leader and Isao Shinkai as the technical
leader.
Nanga Parbat
(8125m) It is also known as the killer mountain. It claimed the life of AF
Mummery, leader of an expedition and two porters in 1895. Since then Nanga
Parbat has cost scores of lives, though quite a few have successfully
scaled it. Harmann Buhl was the first to set foot on this formidable peak
in 1953. In spite of its bloody past record, Nanga Parbat is still the
most sought after target. Its dangerous challenge seems to add spurs to
the determination of climbers.
Hidden Peak
(8068m) This peak was first attempted in 1892 by Martin Conway's
expedition who gave it this name because it was hidden by the neighbouring
peaks of Baltoro glacier. The peak was first conquered in 1958 by an
American expedition. Nick clinch was the leader. The climbing leaders
Peter Schoening and Kanfuran were the two summiters.
Broad Peak
(8047m) This peak was also named by Martin Conway and was first attempted
by a German expedition headed by Karl Herligk offer in 1954. The peak was
climbed in 1957 when the entire team of four climbers with Marcus Schmuck
scaled it.
In the
far-north of Pakistan are valleys which are closed within the silent,
brooding forts of these mountains and are almsot as high as the mountains
themselves. Here dwell, from times immemorial, various tribes differing in
race and culture. If one tribe has Mongol features, its neighbour is
obviously Aryan. Separated by insurmountable obstacles, these tribes very
often live a totally land-locked existence blissfully unaware of the world
beyond. But, a traveller is simply wonderstruck by one common element -
Islam.
Every-where
you hear the familiar Assalam-o-Alaikum, the universal Muslim greeting and
welcome. and no matter how small or poor the inhibtation, the same
muezzin's call to prayer "Allah-u-Akbar rings in the thin mountain air,
issuing from the minarets of mosques hidden in the inaccessible fold of
these ranges pulsates an infinite variety of life; animals reptiles,
birds, insects and plants. There is, of course, the yak which is an
enormous but docile beast, at once the beast of burden and food. It is
notable in the wildlife of these regions, but, its hunting is strictly
restricted and in many areas totally forbidden by law.
Glaciers:
Pakistan has
more glaciers than any other land outside the North and South Poles.
Pakistan's glacial area covers some 13,680 sq.km which represents an
average of 13 per cent of mountain regions of the upper Indus Basin.
Pakistan's glaciers can rightly claim to possess the greatest mass and
collection of glaciated space on the face of earth. In fact, in the lap of
the Karakoram of Pakistan alone there are glaciers whose total length
would add up to abvoe 6,160 sq. km. To put it more precisely, as high as
37 per cent of the Karakoram area is under its glaciers against Himalayas'
17 per cent and European Alps' 22 per cent. The Karakorams have one more
claim to proclaim; its souther flank (east and west of the enormous Biafo
glacier) has a concentration of glaciers which works out to 59 per cent of
its area.
There is a
historical reason for the fact that we, and the world outside, are better
acquainted with glaciers in the Nanga Parbat region. It is through this
region, hazardous though it is, that man has trudged to and fro since the
beginning of his civilized history of movement and migration. The Siachin
glacier is 75 kms. The Hispar (53 kms) joins the Biafo at the Hispar La
(5154.16 metres (16,910 ft) to form an ice corridor 116.87 kms (72 miles)
long. The Batura, too is 58 kms in length. But, the most outstanding of
these rivers of ice is the 62 kms Baltoro. This mighty glacier fed by some
30 tributaries constitues a surface of 1291.39 sq. kms. Western Low
Mountains Region.
These western
low mountains spread from the Swat and Chitral hills in a north-south
direction (along which alexander the Great led his army in 327 B.C) and
cover a large portion of the North-West Frontier Province. North of the
river Kabul their altitude ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 ft. in Mohamand and
Malakand hills. The aspect of these hills is exceedingly dreary and the
eye is everywhere met by the dry rivers between long rows of rocky hills
and crags, scantily covered with coarse grass, scrub wood and dwarf palm.
South of the river Kabul spreads the Koh-e-Sofed Range with a general
height of 10,000 ft. Its highest peak, Skaram, being 15,620 ft. South of
Koh-e-Sofed are the Kohat and Waziristan hills (5,000 ft) which are
traversed by the Kurram and Tochi rivers, and are bounded on south by
Gomal River.
The whole area
is a tangle of arid hills composed of limestone and sandstone. South of
the Gomal River, the Sulaiman Mountains run for a distance of about 483
kilomaters in a north-south direction, Takht-e-Sulaiman (11,295 ft.) being
its highest peak. At the southern end lie the low Marri and Bugti hills.
The area shows an extraordinary landscape of innumerable scarps, small
plateaus and steep craggy out-crops with terraced slopes and patches of
alluvial basins which afford little cultivation.
Kirthar Range
South of the Sulaiman Mountains is the Kirthar Range which forms a
boundary between the Sindh plain and the Balochistan plateau. It consists
of a series of ascending ridges running generally north to south with
broad flat valleys in-between. The highgest peak named Kutte ji Kabar
(dog's grace is 6,878 ft. above sea level. Bleak, rugged and barren as
these hills are, they afford some pasturage for flocks of sheep and goats.
The valleys are green with grass and admit cultivation up to a highest of
4,000 ft. Historical Passes The western mountains have a number of passes,
which are of special geographical and historical interest. For centuries,
they have been watching numerous kings, generals and preachers passing
through them and the events that followed brought about momentous changes
in the annals of mankind.
Climate
Although the
country is in the monsoon region, it is arid, except for the southern
slopes of the Himalayas and the sub-Mountainous tract which have a
rainfall from 76 to 127 cm. Balochistan is the driest part of the country
with an average rainfall of 21 cm. On the southern ranges of the
Himalayas, 127 cm. of precipitation takes place, while under the lee of
these mountains (Gilgit and Baltistan) rainfall is hardly 16 cm. Rainfall
also occurs from western cyclonic distrubances originating in the
Mediterranean.
It is
appreciable in the western mountains and the immediate forelying area; hre
the rainfall average ranges from 27 to 76 cm. The contribution of these
western distrurbances to rainfall over the plains is about 4 cm. A large
part of the precipitation in the northern mountain system is in the form
of snow which feeds the rivers. The all-pervasive aridity over most of
Pakistan, the predominant influence on the life and habitat of the people,
coupled with the climatic rhythm, characteristic of a monsoon climate, are
conducive to homogeneity of the land.
Seasons The four well-marked seasons in Pakistan
are:-
(i) Cold
season (December to March).
(ii) Hot season (April to June).
(iii) Monsoon season (July to
September).
(iv)
Post-Monsoon season (October and November).
The cold
season sets in by the middle of December. This period is characterised by
fine weather, bracing air-low humidity and large diurnal range of
temperature. Winter distrubances in this season accordingly cause fairly
widespread rain. Average mimimum and maximum temperatures are 4 oC and 18
oC, though on occasions the mercury falls well below freezing point. The
winter sun is glorious. The hot season is usually dry. Relative humidity
in May and June varies from 50 per cent in the morning to 25 per cent or
less in the afternoon. The temperature soars to 40 oC and beyond. The
highest recorded temperature at Jaccobabad in June is 53 oC. While the
interior is blazing hot, the temperature along the sea coast ranges
between 25 oC to 35 oC, but the humidity persists around 70 to 80 per
cent.
The south-west
monsoon reaches Pakistan towards the beginning of July and establishes
itself by the middle of the month. The strength of the monsoon current
increases form June to July; it then remains steady, and starts retreating
towards the end of August, though occasionally, it continues to be active
even in September when some of the highest floods of the Indus Basin have
been recorded. From the middle of September to the middle of November is
the transitory period which may be called the post-monsoon
season.
In October,
the maximum temperature is of the order of 34 oC to 37 oC all over
Pakistan, while the nights are fairly cool with the minimum temperature
around 16 oC. In the month of November, both the maximum and the mimimum
temperatures fall by about 6 oC and the weather becomes pleasant. October
and November are by far the driest months all over the plains of
Pakistan.
People and
Population
The population
of the country as on 1st January, 1994, is estimated at about 124.45
million with its male/female ratio of 52.50:47.50 per cent. The current
growth rate of 3.0 per cent is the highest among nine most populous
countries of the world. The population is expected to reach 150 million by
the year 2000. Density per square kilometre is 156 persons. Literacy rate
is estimated to be 36.8 per cent. Of the four provinces, with 25.8 per
cent of land area of the country, Punjab has 56.5 per cent of the total
population; Sindh, with 17.7 per cent of land area, has 22.6 per cent:
NWFP, (including FATA) with 12.8 per cent of land area, has 15.7 per cent;
Balochistan, with 43.6 per cent of land area, has 5.1 per cent. Thus,
Punjab is the most densely (240 persons per sq km) populated province,
follwed by Sindh and NWFP. Balochistan is the least populated province,
with 19 persons per square kilomatre. The overall population density of
the country is 156 persons per square kilometre as estimated in 1994.
Sindh is the urbainised province with 43 per cent of the people living in
urban areas including Karachi City. The urban population of Punjab is 28
per cent followed by NWFP, 21 per cent, and Balochistan 16 per cent. About
67 per cent of the total urban population of the country lives in 28
cities with population of 100,000 and above, while 57 per cent of the
total urban population lives in 12 cities with population lives in 12
cities with population of 200,000 and above. Age Composition According to
the Labour Force Survey, 1990-91, 46.93 of the population is under 15
years of age; 49.66 per cent is between the age groups of 15 and 64 years,
while 3.41 per cent comprises persons 65 years old and above.
|
