The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with Pakistan Railways and Sehrai Travels & Tours initiated train tours from Peshawar to Attock Khurd on Staurday.
Previously these tours were arranged for a selected group of people who were especially invited but on Saturday the general public purchased passes and availed this facility, stated the Additional Secretary Sports, Tourism, Culture, Archaeology, Museums and Youth Affairs Department Naeem Akhtar while talking to reporters at the Cantt Railway Station.
The additional secretary along with General Manager Events TCKP Muhammad Ali Syed welcomed the guests with bouquets and garlands as a Pakistan Army band played in the background.
The historical tourist resort complex of Attock Khurd is situated on the eastern bank of Indus river, near the old iron girder bridge built in 1883, which connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab. The Old British Railway Station built around 1880, with its magnificent stone masonry and beautiful Victorian architecture is set in a hilly backdrop of an area steeped in the romance of history.
The British established the North Western Railway Attock Khurd Resort as a popular fishing spot and hunting grounds for black partridge and foxes. On the western bank is a tall first world war memorial in the shape of a .303bullet. It was built in the memory of the men of the 40th Pathan Regiment which took part in the Great World War. The Mughal Emperor Akbar built the Grand Attock Fort in 1518 AD. It stands majestically by the side of the Indus and runs two miles in circumference. Remains of the old British Victorian Cemetery, Begum ki Sehrai, Bahram Ki Baradari, Tomb of the unknown dancer and many Hindu, Jain and Sikh temples of the bygone era are located in the vicinity.
The guests enjoyed a rare glimpse of a section of the Rawalpindi Landikotal route and were enthralled by the scenic sites, lush green fields and orchards of peaches and plums, undulating hillocks and the rugged Manglot mountain range. The highlight of the journey was the seven tunnels, which was appreciated by the participants.
Another unique aspect of this journey was that the participants returned to Peshawar via train. Previously the train ride was only one way and back to Peshawar journey was via road.