Islamabad: Shahdra stream: A perfect spot to beat the heat

[Naveed Yaseen]

Saadia Khalid
In scorching heat, the residents of twin cities are finding some respite by cooling themselves off in the freshwater of Shahdra.

The beautiful spot of Shahdra is located on the outskirts of Islamabad near Quaid-i-Azam University and Bhara Kahu. Surrounded by hills and lush green jungle, the spot provides a perfect setting to nature lovers to enjoy summer to its fullest while swimming in the crystal clear stream water.

A large number of families are often seen in the spot’s vicinity spending hot and humid days, especially weekends, in a cool environment.

Talking to ‘The News’, the visitors said that it was a unique place where they could enjoy nature and take a dip in water.

“The greenery, hills and the crystal clear splashing water makes it a complete package to relax one’s mind,” said Ghalia Shahid, a resident of Sector E-7.

Carrying necessary picnic stuff with them, mostly comprising handy snacks, sitting mats, drinking water and spare clothes, families enjoy swimming in the stream. They find it an ideal spot for children from the point of view of safety, as water in the stream never reaches the ‘danger level.’

“We just sit under a tree and let our children play in water,” said Ali Saleem, a government employee, who visits the spot quite often.

As there is summer vacation in all academic institutions, groups of young students, mostly teenagers, often visit the place for a swim to beat the heat. “We usually arrive at the spot early in the morning in order to spend the whole day. We bring our breakfast along to munch on when we get tired,” said Suleman Shah, a student of Federal Government College for Men, Sector H-8.

Talking to ‘The News,’ some visitors complained about lack of facilities, such as proper food outlets, toilet facility and a proper parking lot. They asked the relevant authorities to provide these necessary facilities so that they could enjoy this scenic spot in a befitting manner.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=188269