A Very Nice Place to Visit

Pakistan is a beautiful country to visit. Pakistan is not only about politicians fighting, people protesting for the ever increasing inflation, shortage of resources, electricity short fall… Pakistan is about beauty, aesthetics and an unlimited number of beautiful resourceful places.

Khewra Salt Mines

Khewra Salt Mines is situated at the foothills of the Salt Range, Khewra Salt Mines are the oldest in the salt mining history of the sub-continent. Salt occurs in the form of an irregular dome like structure. There are seven thick salt seams with cumulative thickness of about 150 meters. At places rock salt is 99% pure. Salt is transparent, white, pink, reddish to beef-color red. In certain horizons it is crystalline. Inside the mine there are beautiful alternate bands of red and white color salt. There are 18 working levels. Cumulative length of all drivages is more than 40 km.

The main tunnel at ground level developed by Dr. Warth in 1872 has been converted into Tourist Resort. Thousands of tourists visit Khewra Salt Mines every year. They are fascinated by nature's beauty inside the mountain. Nearly 230,000 to 240,000 visitors, comprising college students, general public, and foreigners visit Salt Mines Khewra every year. The Salt Mines Khewra has developed as a big attraction for the tourist. Impressed by the interest of the tourist, the PMDC Management launched "Khewra Salt Mines Resort Development Project" in February, 2002 .

Khewra Salt Mines Tourist Resort has been developed by PMDC. Inside the Mine a beautiful mosque made of different shades of rock salt bricks has been constructed - hollow walls of salt bricks when lighted gives a beautiful look. A large chamber called "Assembly Hall" measuring more than 250 ft in height fascinates tourists. There are certain chambers filled in with saturated brine solution. These ponds when illuminated with fancy lights give splendid look. There is an area of transparent salt of light pink colour known as "Shish Mahal". Different chambers are connected with salt bridges over water ponds and when illuminated with lights show marvelous reflection of different colours of salt. The development programme envisages creation and development of following facilities at Khewra Salt Mines in the first phase of development programme, which have since been completed.

The mines have been illuminated at a grand scale with fancy and reflector type lights to magnify intrinsic beauty of the salient features of the mine, its interior look and texture of rock salt.  Electric train has been made available for tourists      to have a joy ride upto main juncture inside the Mines.
          Seating arrangements have been made in side the mine. Refreshments have been provided inside the mine, where kiosks have been fitted, having sufficient capacity for tourists to relax and enjoy light refreshments.

      Trained male and female guides are available at the mine to conduct tour of visitors inside the Mines.
 ( Ref.: Material is taken from PMDC s website and literature)