Sharda is the most picturesque valley in all of Neelum Valley. This beautiful valley of Kashmir is located approximately five to six hours away from Islamabad.
Athmukam and Sharda are two tehsils – Gujari, Kashmiri, Shina, and Kundal Shahi are local languages here, as this area lies between Kashmiri Shina and Pashto speakers, so after every 10 kilometers, there is a language change.
However, Urdu, the sweetest and most beloved language of the people of Sharda Neelum Valley, is spoken and understood here – those who travel from Rawalpindi to Lahore also speak and understand Punjabi.
In terms of area, this is the largest district of Azad Kashmir, covering an area of 1,398 square miles, but it is the least populous, meaning it is sparsely populated –
The Kishan Ganga River from Bani Pora enters Neelum Valley at Dawarian, and upon entering Azad Kashmir, it becomes the Neelum River –
The only significant road in Neelum is Neelum Valley Road, which goes from Muzaffarabad to Kel.
Key places of interest in Neelum include Kel, Bariyan, Leswa, Shaho Kot, Valley Sharada, Athmuqam, Janawai, Helmatt, and Taubat. Katun and Dhani’s waterfalls are also notable attractions here. Arnag Kel and Upper Neelum Valley are among the most beautiful tourist spots. Where tourists come from all over the world.
Here, there are many historical sites with ancient artifacts that need to be explored. In Sharada, there is also a historical university of the Buddhist era, which attracts tourists from all over the world.
There are many historical sites with ancient artifacts that need to be explored here. From Sharada, a road leads to Saral Lake and from Nuri Top to the Neelum Valley –
The lakes of Ratti Gali, Gangar Lake, Saral Lake, Sural Lake, Chattha Khattha Lake, and JR B Lake are the most beautiful lakes in Neelum Valley –
Taubat is the last village of Neelum Valley, where on one side begins the occupied Kashmir and on the other side begins Gilgit-Baltistan. From here, a road also leads to Gargool and Diasa –
Neelum has a total of 88 villages and 3 police stations – Most of the population is in Athmuqam, Sharada, and Kel.
According to an estimate, the current population of Neelum district is 175,000 – Education in Neelum is far behind Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. Here, the literacy rate is 52%, which is due to the lack of schools and colleges and the negligence of the people – People of Neelum are hardworking and hospitable.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists come to see the beauty of this valley… and every year the number keeps increasing.