The Chitral valley located amidst the mighty Hindu Kush mountains is truly fascinating. The valley can easily be approached via air from the historical city of Quetta. The ideal time to visit Chitral is from June to September. The population is about 159230. Most of the people speak and understand Urdu language while the local language is Khowar. The elevation of this valley is 1518 meters (4980 feet). In Chitral the famous sport is polo. Every year people from all over the country gather to take part in the Shandur polo contest which takes place on the highest polo ground of the world.

Another famous tourist destination is the Hunza valley. The valley is known through out the world because of the spectacular scenery of the surrounding mountains like Ultar sar, Rakaposhi, Ghenta peak and Hunza peak. The average height of these mountains is about 6000 meters. In the past Hunza was the name of a princely state bordering China and the local ruler was called as Thum. The elevation of Hunza valley is 2438 meters. It provides the quickest access to swat and Gandhara for persons travelling on foot. The ideal time to visit Hunza valley is from May to October. The people of valley are known for their friendliness and hospitality. The literacy rate of the valley is about 90%. The local language is Burushaski. In short the valley is Heaven on Earth!

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During the famous Mahabharata war Multan was the capital of Trigarta empire. The ancient name of the city was Kashtpur. The recent name (Multan) has originated from the word Mitrasthana. Multan came under Muslim rule in 712 A.D when Muhammad Bin Qasim, at the age of 17, annexed Sindh. Before this annexation a Muslim general Mohlab also conquered Multan in 664 A.D but this capture was not permanent. It also remained a part of Ghaznavid empire, Moughal empire, Durrani empire and the Punjabi empire ruled by Ranjit Singh. After the Anglo-Sikh war the British took over the city. Finally in 1947, upon the independence of Pakistan, it became a part of the Punjab province of Pakistan. Following are a few of the most exciting places of Multan:

Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam: One of the most remarkable shrines in Multan is the tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam. The tomb is an architectural marvel from the Pre-Moughal era. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the Sub-continent visit the shrine and pay homage to the saint. The dome of this beautiful building is the second largest in the world. The tomb was built by Ghias-ud-din Toughlak for his own self but after his death his son handed it over to the descendants of Shah Rukn-e-Alam.

Tomb of Yousaf Shah Gardezi:The mausoleum of Yousaf Shah Gardezi is rectangular, domeless and decorated with glazed tiles. Shah Yousaf converted a number of locals to Muslims and according to a legend he arrived in Multan about nine hundred years ago, riding a lion, all the way from Gardez (Afghanistan).

Other Places:Other beautiful places include Sun temple, shrine of Baha-ud-din Zikria Multani, shrine of Musa Pak Shaheed and the Suraj temple.

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