Dilapidated roads mar beauty of Kahuta’s Panjpeer Rocks

Panjpeer Rocks on Narar Peaks in Kahuta district offer breathtaking views to tourists, but the journey to this tourist site remains perilous due to dilapidated roads and sharp turns.According to folklore, the rocks are named after five saints who meditated at this place before moving on to the next leg of their spiritual journey. On top of the hill, these rocks despite the shortcomings of the area are a tourist magnet.The road towards Panjpeer from Ratta Galla is in shambles, making it riskier even for bike riders to navigate this trek. Raja Aqib Satti, who runs a roadside restaurant and offers rooms for rent to tourists, said that the road falls under the jurisdiction of Kotli Sattian tehsil and has been neglected for decades.If developed, Noorabad waterfall can be an attraction for tourists.Speaking about this tourist site, Sher Ahmad Satti, a local figure, said Panjpeer was named after five saints who meditated on this spot hundreds of years ago for a brief period. He claimed one of the saints who rested on the hilltop was Hazrat Shah Shamsuddin Sabzwari Multani. According to Ahmad Satti, a monument – Baithak Panjpeer – was also located on the hilltop adjacent to a mosque.Interestingly, a monument from colonial times to acknowledge the services of Sattis by the British in World War I also stands atop the highest point of the Narar hills. Ahmad Satti said over 200 men from their area fought in the World War.A waterman brings jerry cans of drinking water on his donkeys to Ratta Galla locality from the valley beneath. Every household and hotel in the area pays him Rs15,000 per month for this purpose.At present, the area grapples with the lack of essentials, which also impacts tourism. Sheryar Satti said potable water was not readily available in the area and locals had to use donkeys to fetch water from nearby springs. Despite this, there is an influx of tourists on weekends, as youth and families visit the scenic area for camping and trekking.Adding to the beauty of this site is the Noorabad waterfall. However, the road to this water body is also in poor condition.A rest house, now managed by the forest department, was built back in 1904. According to Iftikharul Hassan Farooqi, conservator of forests Rawalpindi Region, the rest house was recently refurbished.A tourist named Kamran, who was visiting from Gujranwala on his bike, was also disappointed upon reaching here. He lamented that the highway authorities and the tourism department of Punjab could not even build a tourist camp to boost tourism in the area. Another tourist, Awais Qarni, shared that this area bordering Kahuta-Kotli Sattian and Azad Kashmir was worth visiting and with a little help from the authorities, it could become an accessible tourist site. He suggested that a road be built between Panjpeer Rocks and Danoi resort could lead to an increase in tourism in the area.A memorial plaque was installed by the British in the vicinity of the Forest Rest House to acknowledge the participation of the brave people of Narar area in World War One. — Photos by the writerLocal MPA Bilal Yameen Satti agreed. He said this road was in dire need of repairs.Moazzam Nazir, who works at the Punjab Tourism Development Department, said the sites like Noorabad waterfall and Panjpeer Rocks needed to be development by the government as it would boost tourism in the area.On the other hand, residents urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to pay attention towards their area and increase tourism facilities to turn Panjpeer and the waterfall into tourist attractions. They asked the chief minister to engage the tourism development department and the highway department to promote tourism and improve the living conditions of the locals.Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2024

Panjpeer Rocks on Narar Peaks in Kahuta district offer breathtaking views to tourists, but the journey to this tourist site remains perilous due to dilapidated roads and sharp turns. According to folklore, the rocks are named after five saints who meditated at this place before moving on to the next leg of their spiritual journey. On top of the hill, these rocks despite the shortcomings of the area are a tourist magnet.

The road towards Panjpeer from Ratta Galla is in shambles, making it riskier even for bike riders to navigate this trek. Raja Aqib Satti, who runs a roadside restaurant and offers rooms for rent to tourists, said that the road falls under the jurisdiction of Kotli Sattian tehsil and has been neglected for decades. Speaking about this tourist site, Sher Ahmad Satti, a local figure, said Panjpeer was named after five saints who meditated on this spot hundreds of years ago for a brief period.

He claimed one of the saints who rested on the hilltop was Hazrat Shah Shamsuddin Sabzwari Multani. According to Ahmad Satti, a monument – Baithak Panjpeer – was also located on the hilltop adjacent to a mosque. Interestingly, a monument from colonial times to acknowledge the services of Sattis by the British in World War I also stands atop the highest point of the Narar hills.

Ahmad Satti said over 200 men from their area fought in the World War. At present, the area grapples with the lack of essentials, which also impacts tourism. Sheryar Satti said potable water was not readily available in the area and locals had to use donkeys to fetch water from nearby springs.

Despite this, there is an influx of tourists on weekends, as youth and families visit the scenic area for camping and trekking. Adding to the beauty of this site is the Noorabad waterfall. However, the road to this water body is also in poor condition.

A tourist named Kamran, who was visiting from Gujranwala on his bike, was also disappointed upon reaching here. He lamented that the highway authorities and the tourism department of Punjab could not even build a tourist camp to boost tourism in the area. Another tourist, Awais Qarni, shared that this area bordering Kahuta-Kotli Sattian and Azad Kashmir was worth visiting and with a little help from the authorities, it could become an accessible tourist site.

He suggested that a road be built between Panjpeer Rocks and Danoi resort could lead to an increase in tourism in the area. Local MPA Bilal Yameen Satti agreed. He said this road was in dire need of repairs.

Moazzam Nazir, who works at the Punjab Tourism Development Department, said the sites like Noorabad waterfall and Panjpeer Rocks needed to be development by the government as it would boost tourism in the area. On the other hand, residents urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to pay attention towards their area and increase tourism facilities to turn Panjpeer and the waterfall into tourist attractions. They asked the chief minister to engage the tourism development department and the highway department to promote tourism and improve the living conditions of the locals.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2024.