Khewra Salt Mine

It is located in Khewra, Jhelum District, Punjab, and is Pakistan’s largest and oldest salt mine and the world’s second largest. Its discovery is credited to the horses of Alexander’s army, in 320BC, when the horses started to lick the stone while grazing on the grass and the sick horses even became well again! The salt from the Khewra mines, also known as Himalayan salt, is red, pink, off-white or transparent and besides being used in various industries and in food, many decorative items are made from it and a visit to the mine and using the salt from there is said to cure health problems such as asthma.

K2

K2, known as Chogori locally, is the second highest mountain in the world, lying near the Pakistan-China border, with a height of 28,250 feet (8,612 meters). The landscape and conditions in the region are very difficult which makes it a difficult mountain to climb. After many failed attempts, a team of Italians climbers finally managed to climb it in 1954 and so far many people died attempting the ascend.

Karakoram Highway

Built in one of the coldest and most inhospitable terrains, Karakoram Highway is the world’s highest paved international road, starting from Hasan Abdal, KP, Pakistan, passing across the Karakoram mountain range, through the Khunjerab Pass, at an elevation of 4,693m (15,397ft) and finishing in Kashgar, Xinjiang, China. Its construction started in 1959 and was completed in 1979, but opened to the public in 1986.

Shandur Top

World’s highest polo ground is at Shandur Top, at 3,700 meters (12,200 feet), located in District Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan, where each year, in the first week of July, a polo match is played between the teams of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral. It is a flat plateau in an area where three mountain ranges Hindukash, Pamir and Karakaram meet, giving Shandur Top the nickname, ‘Roof of the World’.

Indus Valley Civilisation

The Indus Valley Civilisation is one of the world’s first great urban civilizations dating back to 2600 to 1700 BCE. It was one of the world’s earliest major urban settlements, with Mohenjo-daro and Harappa being two of its important cities that are found in Pakistan, with the former being rediscovered in 1922.

Irrigation system

The irrigation system of Pakistan is not just one of the best in the world but also one of the largest irrigation systems, with almost 75 per cent of agricultural land being covered by the irrigation system. There are three large dams and 85 small dams, nine barrages, 12 inter link canals and 45 canals. The total length of the canal system exceeds 58,000 kilometres; there are additional 1.6 million kilometres of farm and field ditches.

— Facts compiled by Anusha Chunara