Sohaib Awan

Lakes

            

LAKES OF SOON VALLEY

There are two well-renowned Uchhali Lake and Khabikki Lake lakes in Soon valley. Uchhali is asalt water lake in the southernSalt Range area in Pakistan. This lake is formed due to the absence of drainage in the range. Sakaser, the highest mountain in the Salt Range, looms over the lake. Due to its brackish water the lake is lifeless. But it offers a picturesque scenery. Khabikki Lake is a salt water lake in the southern Salt Range area in Pakistan. This lake is formed due to the absence of drainage in the range. The lake is one kilometer wide and two kilometres long. Khabikki is also the name of a neighbouring village. Boats are also available and there is a rest house beside the lake. A hill gently ascended on the right side of the lake. The lake and the green area around provide a good scenery. These lakes attract thousands of migratory birds each year and are ideal haven for the bird watchers.

TUCKED IN THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE SALT RANGE AND HEMMED IN BY ITS HIGHER CLIFFS, IS A CLUSTER OF NATURAL LAKES — UCCHALI, KHABBEKI AND JHALLAR IN DISTRICT KHUSHAB. THESE LAKES ARE SAID TO BE 400 YEARS OLD, MAYBE MORE. THE LAKES ARE A PRIME SANCTUARY FOR THE MIGRATORY BIRDS AND WERE DECLARED A PROTECTED SANCTUARY FOR THE NATIVE AND MIGRATORY AVIFAUNA ON THE APPEAL OF WORLD WILDLIFE FUND. NESTLED AT ABOUT 800 METERS ABOVE THE SEA, LAKES HAVE SOME MARSH VEGETATION AND ARE MOSTLY SURROUNDED BY CULTIVATED LAND, WHICH IS PICTURESQUELY INTERSECTED BY HILLOCKS. THE LAKES ARE FED BY THE SPRING, SEEPAGE FROM ADJACENT AREAS, AND RUN OFF FROM THE NEIGHBOURING HILLS OF THE HISTORIC SALT RANGE. THE LAKES ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WINTERING AREAS FOR THE RARE WHITE-HEADED DUCKS (OXYURA LEUCOCEPHALA) IN PAKISTAN THAT COMES HERE FROM CENTRAL ASIA. LOCALS BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A VOLCANO HIDDEN BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE UCCHALI LAKE DUE TO WHICH THE COLOUR OF THE WATER KEEPS CHANGING. THE APPEARANCE OF A VERT BROAD AND BRIGHTLY COLOURED RAINBOW IN 1982 FOR CONSECUTIVE 15 DAYS IS ALSO ATTRIBUTED TO THIS ANALOGY. IN 1982, A STRANGE PHENOMENON WAS OBSERVED IN THE VILLAGES UCCHALI AND DHADHAR. THE LAKES’ WATER IS ALSO SAID TO CURE GOUT AND SKIN DISEASES. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAKING THE WATER FROM THE LAKES AS FAR AS LAHORE AND KARACHI. PEOPLE THINK THAT A PURE WHITE WINGED CREATURE CALLED GREAT EGRET, FROM GRUS FAMILY, FOUND IN THE AREA IS A SYMBOL OF LONGEVITY.

Lakes:

There are two types’ lakes

1.      Permanent Lake.

2.      Rain Lakes

Lake Uchhali:

This is a Permanent Lake therefore his area has been change when the weather change of this area. His Total area 11425 sq km but sequence of the rain this area account be the 12550 sq km. His water is very salt. Dry season water was very be dirty.

This water cannot be use for act of sprinkling water. There fore which mud is temprary involve in this water cannot be use for sprinkling. But near about of the well water can be use for sprinkling.

MARTIAL RACE:

THE AWANS OF THE SOON VALLEY WERE ALSO AMONGST THOSE THE BRITISH CONSIDERED TO BE "MARTIAL RACE". THE BRITISH RECRUITED ARMY HEAVILY FROM SOON VALLEY FOR SERVICE IN THE COLONIAL ARMY, AND AS SUCH, THE AWANS OF THIS AREA ALSO FORMED AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BRITISH INDIAN ARMY, SERVING WITH DISTINCTION DURING WORLD WARS I AND II. OF ALL THE MUSLIM GROUPS RECRUITED BY THE BRITISH, PROPORTIONALLY, THE AWANS PRODUCED THE GREATEST NUMBER OF RECRUITS DURING THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WARS. CONTEMPORARY HISTORIANS, NAMELY PROFESSOR IAN TALBOT AND PROFESSOR TAN TAI YONG, HAVE AUTHORED WORKS THAT CITE THE AWANS (AMONGST OTHER TRIBES) AS BEING LOOKED UPON AS A MARTIAL RACE BY NOT ONLY THE BRITISH, BUT NEIGHBOURING TRIBES AS WELL. THE ARMY OF PAKISTAN ALSO HEAVILY RECRUITS AWANS FROM THIS AREA. AWANS OCCUPY THE HIGHEST RANKS OF THE PAKISTANI ARMY.DHAHDHAR :- THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT VILLAGE OF THIS SOON VALLEY , WHICH IS PRODUCING WHEAT AND VEGETABLE AT LARGE QUANTITY FOR OFFORDING LOCAL POPULATION AS WELL AS UP TO THE RANGE OF LAHORE , GUJRANWALA, SARGODHA , TALAGANG & RAWALPINDI DISTRICTS .

LIVE STOCK :- Our village is producing live stock breeding at large scal hence contributing a major role for production of various type of animal like bufaloos , cow' , oxen, sheep and goats to full fill the requirement of general publc in case of meet , milk and skins for manufecturing of leather shoes and leather garments