Abbottabad is the capital of the Abbottabad District in the Hazara region of eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is the 40th largest city in Pakistan and the fourth largest city in the province of Khyber PakhtunkhwA. It is home to a population of about 1.1 million.
Lockhart House
Lockhart House in Abbottabad is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It was once the home of a former commander of the British Indian Army, General Sir William Lockhart. The house has historical value and can be converted to a museum or heritage site. If it were to become a museum, it would have great tourist potential. Moreover, the Chief of Army Staff (PAS) of Pakistan would likely take personal interest in it.
Lockhart House has a special place in Pakistan’s history. It is the only historical building in the country where a British officer lived. It was built in 1850 by Gen. Lockhart and his family, which includes Rudyard Kipling, the famous author. Gen Lockhart was a close friend of Kipling, who was the father of Rudyard Kipling. According to some historians, JL Kipling was a guest at Lockhart House, and so his family also stayed here.
During the 1870s, Lockhart was given a command against the Afridis and the Mohmands. He was also awarded the Dutch Expedition Cross. In 1898, Lockhart was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. Lockhart later moved to the town of Snowdon in Simla when the government migrated from Abbottabad to Simla. He died from malaria in Calcutta on 18 March 1900. Lord Curzon attended his funeral.
Another historical place to visit in Lockhart House is the Jalal Baba Auditorium Complex, which was built in 1993. It has a hall that seats 700 people and is used for different public events. It also houses the National Book Foundation Centre, Abbasin Arts Council and the Abbottabad Development Authority.
The Sophia Institute
The Sophia Institute in Abbottabad is a non-profit organization that provides higher education and research programs. It has a small library and archives. Some of its records have been passed on to the National Archives of Pakistan and the Empire and Commonwealth Museum. Its staff is small, but willing to answer questions about their collections. The institute also hosts special events and retreats featuring nationally and internationally renowned teachers and leaders.
Historically, Abbottabad was the capital and main town of the Hazara District of the North West Frontier Province in the British era. It is located 35 miles north of Rawalpindi. The city includes several other towns, including Khanspur, Dunga Gali, and Bara Gali.
Daal Hotel Havelian
Daal Hotel in Abbottabad offers good food with good service. Its restaurants feature various types of kebabs, bar b q and small food. Its restaurant serves delicious chana as well. Although the sitting area is not good, the quality of food more than makes up for it.
Hiking is an option, but the roads are a bit tricky. To avoid getting lost, use Google Maps to plan your route. You must also keep in mind that you should go to the Umbrella waterfall after the temporary roadblock, after the village of Poona. From there, the hike takes about 15 minutes.
Lakh Patti Kabab
Lakh Patti Kabab is an iconic dish in Abbottabad. This meaty kebab is very popular and well-loved in the city. It is one of the best street foods in the city, and it is available at many food joints. The city has an abundance of history, culture, and religion. The culture of Abbottabad is a mix of ancient and modern traditions. The residents of the city are friendly and respectful, and their religious traditions are strong.
The climate in Abbottabad is humid subtropical, with warm summer temperatures and cool winters. In mid-summer, the temperature can reach 38 degrees Celsius, and it can drop as low as -5 degrees during cold waves. While the city experiences little snowfall in winter, it gets heavy rainfall from July to September during the monsoon season.
Osama bin Laden’s hideout
Some residents of the Pakistani city of Abbottabad still exchange Islamic greetings with the family of Osama bin Laden, who lived in Abbottabad for nearly a decade. It is located 30 miles north of the capital, Islamabad, on the Karakoram Highway, which traces the ancient Silk Road through the country. The city is also home to the Kakul military academy, which is a few miles from the compound where the infamous terrorist hidout.
On February 25, 2011, the Pakistani government bulldozed the compound, which was home to the al-Qaeda leader. While many locals expressed relief that life returned to normal, others were frustrated by the tightened security, which required them to go through numerous security checkpoints to move through the town. Moreover, the emptiness of the compound remained a painful reminder of the al-Qaeda operation. The compound was built in 2005, and bin Laden moved into it in January 2006.
According to reports, the United States remained unable to identify bin Laden with confidence inside the Abbottabad compound until May 2011, when President Obama ordered the Navy SEALs to storm the compound. At the time, U.S. intelligence agencies put the probability of bin Laden’s presence inside the compound at 40 to 60 percent. Although he was killed in the attack, the United States government continued a high-tech operation to find and eliminate bin Laden’s secretive compound.
The bin Laden family spent years in hiding in Pakistan, moving from one friendly Pakistani locale to another. They initially lived in Peshawar, then moved to the rural Swat Valley, and then moved to Abbottabad. This was the place bin Laden and his family liked.
