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This is the vast area administrated by three police stations (Nara, Lora and New Khanpur). The valley area starts from New Khanpur and ends at Ayubia in west to east and from Havelian to Margalla Hills from north to south. The eastern half of this area is in district Abbottabad the other half is in district Haripur. This whole area is administratively divided in to three forest ranges (Stoura, Khanpur and Makhnial). Both ranges are under the administrative control of Haripur Forest Division and Abbottabad Wildlife Division. The five major reserved forests (Sarla Reserved Forest, Margalla Reserved Forest, Kohala Lassan Reserved Forest, and Rahi Reserved Forest ans Stoura Reserved Forest) along with other small reserves, guzaras and mehdoodas are located in this area. The largest reserved forest is Kohala Lassan Forest, which starts from Khanpur Dam and ends at the boundaries of Stoura. The Dubran Forest is the part of this reserve.
The valley is further connected to the forests of Kashmir and Mansehra forests through Ayubia and Gallies forests.
Streams
The Haro River comprises of four main streams and their small helping nullas. Which are?
The Haro River comprises of four main streams and their small helping nullas. Which are?
- Lora Haro: its source is in the Muree Hills. The waters of Northern Muree Slopes. Lora town, its suburbs, Phulla, Rupar, Kohalabala and the surrounding areas fall in to this stream.
- Stora Haro: It starts from the base of Nathiagali Hills. The waters of western slopes of Nahiagali Hills, southern slopes of Nara Hills, Stoura, Massah and Jabri fall in this stream.
- Neelan Stream: its base is in Nara Hills. The waters from some parts of Nara Hills, villages of Neelan Valley (Hajia, Chamnaka, Riala, Bodla etc), Mountain of Danna Nooral, Mountain of Dubran and some area of U/C Langrial fall in this stream.
- Kunhad Stream: This stream comprises of the waters from U/C Langrial, Old U/C Gandhian, Mountain of Siribang, Mountain of Dubran and the surrounding areas.
- Other Small Nullahs and waters: The waters from other small nullas of the different areas including Jab, Hally’ Desera, Najafpur and other villages of the region also fall in the Haro River.
Main Reserved Forests of the Region
- Kohala Lassan Reserved Forest: It is the largest reserved forest of the valley, starts from Khanpur reservoir and finishes at the end of Massah Gojary. Pine, kahoo and phulay are the main trees in this forest.
- Sarla Reserved Forest: Sarla is a beautiful mountain in the Northwest of Khanpur Dam. It was a wonderful scrub forest with plenty of Kahoo and Phulay trees a few decades ago, but destroyed by the forest fires, fuel wood cutters and graziers.
- Stoura Reserved Forest: This forest is located at the extreme eastern end of the valley in the foot hills of Muree and Gallyat. A few decades back it was a thick forest of pine trees, but it is being cut down by timber smugglers and locals. The elevation of the Stoura village is about 3500 feet…surrounded by high peaks of Muree and Gallyat hills. It is a wonderful place to visit on the bank of the river.
- Dotara Reserved Forest: This is a beautiful forest on the high way starting from forest rest house Jabri and ends near Hally on the southern bank of the river Haro. It has plenty of wildlife in it including leopards and monkeys.
- Margalla Reserved Forest: The northern steeps of Margalla hills and surrounding areas are also designated as a reserved forest, are also part of this valley, with beautiful gorges, nullas and peaks.
- Rahi Reserved Forest: This is a pine and kahoo forest with some trees of phulahi and other scrubs. It is the most beautiful area near Lora town.
- Other Reserved and Private Forests: The whole valley is covered with different types of small reserved forests, Guzaras and Mehdoodas. There are some thick kahoo and pine reserved forests in Makhnial Range in the north of Islamabad, including Rukhala reserved forest.
Mountains of the Valley
There are several high peaks and mountains in the region. A brief description of some important and beautiful hills is given below.
There are several high peaks and mountains in the region. A brief description of some important and beautiful hills is given below.
- Dana Nooral: A beautiful and large mountain located on the eastern bank of Neelan stream nearly in the centre of the valley. There is a village on the top at an elevation of round about 6000 feet. The most of the population of this village belongs to the Nooral branch of Karral Tribe; due to this it is called Dana Nooral.
- Siribang: It is another beautiful mountain of the Haro Valley and the highest mountain of Dist. Haripur. It is located in between the Khanpur road and Kunhad stream and covered with pine jungles. There are a few villages also on this mountain. These villages are Siribang, Jab, Kohala paean etc. The elevation of the highest peak is about 5700 feet.
- Nara: The Nara Mountain is the highest one with an elevation of about 7000 feet. It is located in the northeastern corner of the valley. It is named on the Nara village.
Dubran: Last village of dist. Abbottabad in the south west corner is located on this mountain. It is a high and beautiful mountain of the region, just apposite to the Siribang. This village was the Base Camp of Karral Mujhaideen against Sikhs in 19th century in the command of the Great Sardar Hashim Khan. The whole mountain is surrounded by the beautiful forest. It is also encircled by river Haro and its tributaries, with Haro River in the South, Neelan stream in the East, Langrial nulla in the North and Kunhad stream in the west but water is hardly available on the top for the villagers. A water supply scheme of more than rupees 10 million was launched by the government but failed due to improper survey and poor management. It is a large mountain (about 6×8 km of area). Dubran village comprises 17 hamlets scattered across the village. It is home to around 4000 people and about 500 households. A majority of the male folk speaks Urdu. However, Hindkoh is the lingua franca of the area. Sardars (30%) and Awans (70%) are the prominent casts. Despite majority, Awans, being the tenants, used to follow decisions made by Sardars of the village.
A View of Langrial (Siribang Mountain on fire in the back ground) Employment is the main source of income. However, 30% people, mostly illiterate, old and women are engaged in agro-pastoral activities. Land is partially owned by community. Livestock rearing, subsistence agriculture, fuel wood, fodder and water collection etc are mostly carried out by rural women. Wheat and maize are the commonly grown crops. The village is rain-fed but soil is fertile enough to produce above average crop yields (1.6 tons per acre). Dubran top (about 5500 feet high) is the point from where 80% area of the valley is visible. A Pakistan communication company has built repeaters and boosters towers here to provide communication links in-between Thandiani and the valley to operate different exchanges and other communication equipments. A black top road links the village with main road at Langrial.- Langrial Mountain: Another beautiful mountain in the north of Dubran along the main Lora road.
- Islamabad: The old name of the village is Salwad, which was changed. It is a high and beautiful mountain with pine jungle around it, in between the two main streams of Haro River.
- Nagri Hills: Located around the town of Lora in the extreme eastern end of valley. These are foot hills of Gallyat and Muree covered with forests and scattered human settlements.
- Ghoragali and Makhnial Hills: Beautiful hills behind the capital of Pakistan. Covered with scattered pine and scrub forests and villages.
- Sarla Mountain: Most famous mountain of the valley. This was a thick jungle of Kahoo and other scrub trees a few decades ago, full of barking deer and urials, but now there is nothing in this mountain except scattered bushes. It is located in the west of Khanpur dam.
Important Towns and Villages
The following are the few important towns and villages of Haro River valley.
The following are the few important towns and villages of Haro River valley.
- New Khanpur: A neat clean and well planed small town located in the West of Khanpur dam. Nearly all necessities of life are available here. A rural health centre, banks, degree college, police station, range forest officer office, boys & girls high schools, girls inter college and veterinary hospital are the main governmental buildings in the town. Weather remains pleasant all the times.
- Lora: Another small town in the eastern corner of the valley. It is about at a 9 km road distance from Ghoragali with pleasant weather, but slightly chilly in the winter. All necessities of life including education and health are available here.
- Bodela: A small town of the Neelan valley with good facilities and beautiful sceneries around. Located on the Kanial Abbottabad Road.
- Jabri: A small town or a large village with some good facilities like a good small bazaar, high school for boys, a BHU, a bus stop and middle school for girls. It takes a great rush at day times. It is located in the centre of the valley on the northern bank of river Haro. It is a junction point of three streams and three roads.
- Kohala Bala: On the junction of Abbottabad Lora road and Tarnava Lora road a beautiful village with small bazaar is located. This village is called Kohala Bala. The significant residents of this village are sayeds.
- Stoura: 8 km in the north of Lora the large and oldest village of Karral tribe is situated. A shingle road connects it with Jabri. At present this village is slightly backward but it has a rich and old history.
- Langrial: Head quarters of union counsel Langrial and an important village. Located at a road distance of 12 km from Maqsood on main Lora road. The most of the residents are Jadoon. Before partition it was base of Hindu Banias and was the great Mandi of the region, but after the independence the people of the village failed to maintain it.
- Phulla: At about 10-12 km road distance the most beautiful village of Phulla is located. It is the native village of Sgt. Manzir Ali Shaheed, who was crashed with President Zia-ul-Haque.
- Dubran: The mountain next to the village in the south is Dubran. The village on the top of the mountain is called Dubran. It is nearly self sufficient village with good fertile lands. It is the most beautiful village but with one problem i.e. shortage of water. It could be called an heaven on earth if the water in good quantity is provided. It is just apposite to the Muree in the west on an elevation of about 5500 feet with pleasant weather all the year but slightly chilly in snowy days. It is the best snow watching point also.
- Najifpur: The whole village surrounded with thick scrub and pine jungles is located on the eastern edge of Khanpur dam at about 8 km road distance from Tarnava.
- Halley: The biggest village scattered over large area of hills. Pine and kahoo trees are in abundance in the surrounding area of Halley village. It has schools for boys and girls and a near by BHU.
- Chinjah: A small and beautiful village in-between Jabri and Stoura on the bank of the river. Most of the population of this village belongs to Karral tribe. The literacy rate amongst the kraals is very high (about 80%). Many of them are commissioned officer in defence forces. It is the native village of ex-conservator NWFP Sardar Wazir Muhammad Khan.
- Tial Sayedan: A small but famous village of the valley. Darbar-e-Alia Quadria of Sayed Faiz Ali Shah (Saeen Shah) has made it an important village. Linked with Jabri through a jeep road.
- Garamthoon: A village at the back of Margalla Hills Park surrounded with jungles of pine kahoo and Phulay with plenty of wildlife.
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| A village of the valley |
Roads & Links
Although the whole valley is netted with jeep tracks and some good roads, transport is comparatively less due to domination of local transporters. The following is the introduction of some important roads.
Although the whole valley is netted with jeep tracks and some good roads, transport is comparatively less due to domination of local transporters. The following is the introduction of some important roads.
- Shah Maqsood – Lora รข€“ Ghoragali, Road: It is the main and oldest road starts from Shah Maqsood (Haripur Abbottabad main GT road) passes through the centre of the valley and further leads to Ghoragali & Muree. It is also called Abbott Lora Ghoragali Road. The FHA has upgraded it into a high way.
- Havelian-Kanial Road: It is another black top road starts from Havelian Railway station passes through villages Phulwari Hajia and Bodela and joins the main road at Kanial.
- Chapra-Noordi-Ghumawan, Road: Starts from Chapra (Haripur), passes through Noordi Ghumawan and Ghandian, joins with the main road at Langrial. It is a shingle road.
- Tarnava-Kohalabala, Road: This is a black top road, starts from Tarnava (a small town near Khanpur Dam) passes through beautiful gorges, nullas, and villages e.g. Choi, Najifpur, Hally and joins the main road at Kohala Bala.
- Islamabad, Kohala Bala, Road: This is a new road from Karachi Co. and passes through Damin-e-Koh, Dana Ferozepur, Kumble, Barkot and ends at Kohala Bala the junction of three main roads.
- Jabri, Stoura, Road: It is a shingle road from Jabri to Stoura, along the northern bank of Haro River. It passes through beautiful valleys and forests. Massah Gojary and Chinjah are the main villages on this road.
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Posted on 6 October 2020 at 08:30