The LUMS Adventure Society (LAS), dedicated primarily to trekking and spreading awareness of the outdoors and promoting love for adventure in Pakistan, in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund, Pakistan (WWF,P), a leading organisation for conservation and environment protection and The Karakoram Club (TKC), a forum for photographers and travellers wanting to share their work and experiences about the mountains of Pakistan, recently organised “Cleanup Expedition 2016”. In lieu with LAS’s policy of ‘leaving nothing but foot prints’, the fifteen-member team inclusive of LAS members and two each from TKC and WWF started this three-day trekking exercise aimed at cleaning up the 38 km track starting from Thandiani to Nathia Gali via the Miranjani Top.
On the first day, the team trekked from Thandiani and reached Dagri Bangla, a century old cottage situated at an elevation of 2720 meters, at night. Continuing their mission, the next day, the group set off early in the morning to trek all the way to Nathiagali via the Miranjani Top, a most enchanting sight. All along the way, they picked up the trash that was found in abundance throughout the track.
Overall, this clean up expedition was significant in highlighting the importance of inculcating a sense of responsibility for the environment and the need to protect and preserve these landscapes. This three-day long trek generated a lot of praise from the locals, who complained about the lack of realisation on the part of the hikers and tourists for littering their surroundings. Areas such as these galliats are part of Pakistan’s national, scenic treasures and with their deteriorating condition, the plausible risk of permanently losing the famous scenic beauty of this region is fast materializing into a reality. Hence, it is about time that locals, tourists and professional hikers, all, start to take ownership and reclaim the beauty of these areas before it is too late.
LAS hopes that the Cleanup Expedition’16 will only be the starting point of a mission for the entire Northern Areas.
