Makran Coastal Highway
Munaza Kazmi
A dramatic, dusty and daring
drive that unnerved a traveler with its marvelous encounters, winding its way
through some of the untouched parts of Pakistan, from the deserted regions
where windswept erosion has created an unusual natural wonder, “Princess of
Hope”; a princess standing in the hope of finding her love of life, to the
enchanting golden beaches overlooking
the blue shores of the Arabian Sea, to the Spinix of Pakistan watchingevery
travelers and guarding the glory.
Am talking about Makran
Coastal Highway, the 653 km N10 highway running transversely by the coastal
line of Arabian Sea. With diverse landscapes it has a strategic meaning for
Pakistan, since it links the Gwadar port to the entire of Baluchistan, then to
Karachipassing through the towns of Ormara and Pasni.
While driving on the
highway, you would be watching over to most dramatically diverse, magicaland
mysterious landscapes. Once passing through vast stretches of deserts, greeting
dust cyclones in the distance, the highway silks away casually around the deep
blue waters with clean white foam, sparkling peals and golden beaches. It is home
to the charming sunrises on the horizon and sunsets that bask everything in
gold in the frame of wild Siberian birds.
In a moment from the dusty
sandstorms you would be flying with pelicans and racing with dolphins, such a
diversity here and again. Moving forward, slowly distancing from the seashore,
the highway takes you into the territory of Hingol National Park, the largest
of Pakistan, housing the precious and rare wild life including leopards,
gazelles, ibexes and crocodilesetc to the ‘Princess of Hope’ and Spinix.
Meanwhile, you might observe
the Hindu pilgrims who travel miles to the Shrine of “Hinglaj Mata”, which is
guarded by ibexes and crocodiles in its mountain seat on the banks of the
Hingol River. Wandering further through the mysterious hills, trying to endorse
the possibility of possessing South Asia’s largest and highest active mud
volcano, the road takes you tosay hello to camels and the distinctive Makranis
of African descent.
Makran Coastal Highway
provokes the mind to probe deeper and search for the hidden secrets that the
mountains echo, the winds whisper and the sands so gracefully obscure.
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Munaza Kazmi holds MPhil in Management Sciences (Bahria University Islamabad, 2020). She’s a travel writer, an author, & co-author of scientific contributions in national & international publications. Her main areas of research include tourism & quality management.
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