Mining the opportunities at home
Himalayan salt originates in Pakistan - how this realisation changed a young entrepreneur’s life
A tunnel view inside the salt mines of Khewra, Pakistan on Febraury 7, 2009. Khewra, best known for its salt range and mines, is located nearly 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Islamabad. The Khewra Salt Mines are said to be the second largest salt mine in the world. PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI:
Himalayan salt is popular worldwide, and yet, despite being one of the largest exporters of raw pink salt, for Pakistan, salt is rarely a matter of national pride.
As a college student in London, Irfan Chughtai, would often see pink salt products being sold at exorbitant prices at high-end stores. More often than not, the label would say, ‘Made in India’ or ‘Made in China’. It was a visit to Khewra in Jhelum, Punjab, during one of his semester breaks, that Irfan realised a crucial detail: the salt was mined in Pakistan.
JHELUM: Prime Minister Imran Khan interacts with locals after inaugurating the Nandana Fort heritage trail project on Sunday. PPI
GUJAR KHAN: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said Pakistan can provide a multiplicity of choices for tourists that no other country can, elaborating on the diversity of opportunities to be found in the country from its long coastline to some of the world’s tallest mountains and heritage sites, including those belonging to ancient civilisations.
He expressed these views after inaugurating the heritage trail project at Al-Bairuni Point (Baghan Wala Village) at Nandana Fort in Jhelum district on Sunday. The trail in Pind Dadan Khan, the premier said, would be the gateway to seven archaeological sites, including Nandana Fort, Shiva Temple, Tilla Joggian, Khewra Salt Mines, Mallot Fort and Takht-i-Babri.
Islamabad: Nandana Fort, the scene of many epic battles and which holds echoes of centuries-old civilizations, will soon be opened for tourists after major conservation.
The remains of the fort, located on a hilltop overlooking the Salt Range in Pakistan’s Punjab province, would be conserved by the tourism and archaeology department of Punjab to convert it into an international tourist attraction site.
“We have decided to preserve the site [Nandana Fort] and build infrastructure so it becomes accessible to tourists” Prime Minister Imran Khan said as he launched the heritage trail project at Al Biruni point in Baghan Wala village at Nandana Fort on Sunday.
Pakistan offers unique, diverse opportunities for tourism: Imran - Newspaper dawn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dawn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.