Hazara - a glimpse.....!!!!!

Hazara is a beautiful valley and is situated in the North West Frontier Provinceof Pakistan. It comprises of five administrative districts namely Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram and Kohistan. The major languages spoken here are Hindko,Pushto, Kohistani and Gojri. There are mountains, ravines, waterfalls, lakes and pastures. Influential tribes are Swatis, Jadoon, Tareen, Khankhels, Syeds and Gujars.

Livelihood of people in these areas are mostly on subsistence farming, services and tourism industry. There are a few industries situated in the southern district of Haripur which employ a few thousand workers only. There are still many locations like Nathiagali, Thandiani, Tarbela lake, Saiful Malook lake, Kaghan, Naran, Balakot, Indus River and thick forests of upper Mansehra, Mattagram and Kohistan. Wildlife is abundant in all these natural habitats and one can enjoy the natural environment in abundance.

Hazara is blessed with best educational institutions of the country. Some are Abbottabad Public School, Burn Hall, Islamia Public School Mansehra, Mansehra Public School and many others. Abbottabad has become a national city as people from all corners of the country have their representation in this scenic valley of Abbottabad. Reader must note that Abbottabad was named after a British Deputy Commissioner of Hazara named as Abbott while Mansehra gets its name after Sikh Raja of the area named as Man Singh and Haripur is named after its Sikh ruler Hari Singh.

Major crops grown here are wheat, maize, rice, beans and vegetables. off-season crops come from the mountain regions of Kighan and Baran and fetch high prices in the marketplace. Flue-cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco is grown in Mansehra District and is the premier type of tobacco conumed in cigarette industry of the country. Tobacco groen in Mansehra is most expensive in the country due to its quality, aroma, smoking attributes and nicotene/sugar ratio.

All fruits of temperate and sub-tropical regions are grown throughout this region. Major ones are apple, apricot, plums, persimon, hazlenuts, grapes, pomegranate,lemon and others.

Politically, Harazawalls have voted for Pakistan Muslim League but mostly their elected leadership have betrayed their confidence by switching sides in the assemblies for becoming ministers and advisers. They have earned bad reputation in provincial and federal politics due to this behaviour. But people of Hazara love their country and are very peaceful and accomodative in nature. Younger generation is on rebelion mode due to bad politics of their elected representatives.

Hazara lacks in medical and health facilities and have not been able to secure a modern, easily accessible institution in this regard. Ayub Medical Comples in Abbottabad has become a victim of internal politics of doctors and paramedics and external influence of political figures to gain ground there.