Murree and its Surroundings

In the Himalayan foothills Murree, known as "Malika-e-Kohsar" meaning the "Queen of Hills", was founded as a hill station by the British in1851. Like other cities set up by the British, the town has the Mall for leisure walk, parks, churches, schools, clubs and plenty of other colonial charms. Being a dark corner in the history, during British rule, access to the Mall Road was restricted for locals and was meant only for the morning walk of Britishers.

After independence Murree has onceagain become the summer retreat of the government and since Islamabad became the capital of Pakistan in 1962, has expanded rapidly. There is a governor house, other government houses and summer homes of affluent class from all over the country. The residences are built on the summit and sides of an irregular ridge, and command magnificent views over forest-clad hills and deep valleys, studded with villages and cultivated fields, with snow-covered peaks of Kashmir in background.

Murree town spreads along the top of a ridge for about fivekilometres. At the north-east end is Kashmir Point, with views acrossthe valley of the Jhelum River into Azad Kashmir. At the south-westend is Pindi Point, looking back towards Rawalpindi and Islamabad.Between the two runs the Mall, at the centre of which is the mainshopping area, where visitors flock. Most conspicuous rendezvous inthe town is General Post Office on the Mall.

Apart from odd looking ruins of Murree Brewery (shifted to Rawalpindi long ago), there is an Ecology Centre that was established in 1960 toexperiment with environment friendly agricultural processes such asgreenhouses to grow winter crops. Although fruit and vegetables areimportant crops at the Centre but this institute has played significant role in the mainstream agriculture through its work oncereal rust. The site was specially selected after a thorough surveyby Canadian team of experts that visited Gilgit, Chitral, Swat, Kaghanand Azad Kashmir. The Centre has done some considerable work to extendthe carrying capacity of the land. Other than this, economy of thearea is predominantly agricultural though land holdings are small. Orlocals have some openings in tourism industry that is still in theinitial stages of development.

In addition to sunsets and cloud effects seen daily during the rainsand good weather, trekking or riding in the chair-lifts are Murree's main amusements. But one can turn the soft jaunt into a dauntingexperience in the name of adventure. Who stops! Like for more daring types and those who want to beat the crowds and still enjoy the green environs of Murree, the best is to explore the surrounding areas.There are many defined walking trails in adjoining country that iswell wooded and its scenery attractive: from Islamabad to Tret, fromTret to Ghora Gali (where "dak" horses used to change during Britishera), from Ghora Gali to Murree, from Murree to Barian and Changla Gali with Swar Gali and Khaira Gali in between and from Changala Galito Nathia Gali through Ayubia and Dunga Gali. From Nathiagali a commontrekking route is to Thandiani with an overnight stay in the way.