Tong Shoghor – an unexplored tourist spot

Gul Hamad Farooqui

CHITRAL: Arkari is famous for its scenic beauty. But there is another small valley known as Bhisti in Arkari where there is a beautiful tourist spot at a height of 16,000 feet above the sea level.

Tong Shoghor has springs of pure water coming down from the foothills of the mountains. This water flows in a circle like a snake and the meandering canal adds to the beauty of the area.

Tong Shoghor also has a green field and with green grass growing naturally everywhere, it looks like a green carpet laid there. There is greenery everywhere which looks captivating. The mountains are covered with snow which presents a very attractive look. Terich Mir peak looks like a small mound from here. Here in this field, there are medicinal plants like onions growing naturally, which also taste like onion. Local people say this onion-like herb was used as medicine in the past.

According to the local people, Tong Shoghor was also the summer pasture of the people of Bhisti valley who used to bring their cattle for grazing and as it was their summer pasture. They collected milk and made cheese, butter curd and other milk items from it. They took these items home for use.

In the past, wildlife was found here in abundance and hunted legally by foreigners under the hunting trophy and local people earned a lot of money from it. Emeralds and other precious stones and minerals are also found in the surrounding mountains.