Keenjhar Lake Resort
Keenjhar Lake, commonly called Kalri Lake, is located in
Thatta District, Sindh (province of Pakistan), at a distance of 122 kilometers
from Karachi. Keenjhar Lake is the largest artificial lake in Pakistan. It is the second largest freshwater lake in Pakistan. Keenjhar
Lake is the best tourist destination and most beautiful place to visit in
Pakistan. This lake is an important source of water supply in Thatta and
Karachi districts.
The lake is home to numerous birds and has been
declared a bird sanctuary. In winter, migratory birds from Siberia also come
here to spend the winter.
Tourist Destination
Keenjhar Lake is also a
famous and popular tourist destination. Thousands of people from Karachi
come here for entertainment during the holidays.
According to an estimate,
17,000 people visit Keenjhar Lake in a week, but there is no standard
arrangement for their stay (accommodation), so they leave soon.
Small motorized boats are
the only tourist entertainment in Keenjhar Lake.
Largest Artificial Lake of Pakistan
Keenjhar Lake is
considered to be the largest artificial lake of Pakistan, which is the
main source of water for drinking and industrial use in country's largest city,
Karachi. Keenjhar Lake is the main source of water supply to Karachi and Thatta
cities, economic and industrial centers of Pakistan.
Keenjhar Lake, also known
as Kalri Lake, located in Thatta district at a distance of about 122 km from
Karachi, is not only a special attraction for nature lovers due to its natural
beauty, but also because of its rich natural resources. It is also a source of
employment for families.
About 24 kilometers long, 6
kilometers wide and 15 meters deep, the lake was actually formed by connecting
two lakes, Sonehri and Keenjhar lakes. Keenjhar is considered to be the largest
artificial lake in Pakistan.
Natural Beauty and Resources
Keenjhar Lake is supplied
with Indus water from Kotri Barrage Jamshoro through a canal called 'Kalri
Baghar or KB Feeder'. This lake is the major source of drinking and industrial
water supply to Karachi; the largest city of Pakistan. Apart from this, Thatta
city is also supplied with water from this lake.
Keenjhar Lake has been
globally protected as a 'Ramsar Site' under the Ramsar Convention. The
Convention on aquifers was signed in Ramsar, Iran on February 2, 1971 and
entered into force in 1975.
According to this
agreement, such aquifers where dozens of species of plants, birds and fish are
raised and these aquifers also play a role in economy of the country, and
employment of millions of people are also associated with them, are called
Ramsar.
According to this
agreement, 19 aquifers of Pakistan have the status of Ramsar site, of which
nine aquifers of Sindh are Keenjhar Lake, Haleji Lake, Indus Delta, Indus
Dolphin Reserve, Deha Akdro, Drug Jheel, Jabu Lagoon, Nardi Lagoon and Rann of
Kutch.
Apart from this, 3 aquifers
in Punjab, 5 in Balochistan and 2 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also been declared
as Ramsar sites. Despite being declared a protected site under the Ramsar
Convention, waste from the industrial areas of Kotri and Nooriabad is discharged
into this lake.
Keenjhar Lake also has the
status of a complete wildlife sanctuary. A total of 33 aquifers in Sindh have
the status of wildlife sanctuaries. After declaring a wildlife sanctuary, no
person can take up residence around the aquifer, while weeding and plant damage
are recognized. It is a legal offense to fire within three miles of the lake
and pollute the water.
Keenjhar Lake is also a
favorite winter destination for migratory birds from Siberia and Russia. These
migratory birds include ducks, swans, flamingos, cuckoos, fish-eating
waterfowl, leeches, herons, white herons, egrets, and sea egrets.
Keenjhar Lake’s Romantic Tale 'Nuri Jam Tamachi'
The story of Sindh's
romantic tale 'Nuri Jam Tamachi' is also attributed to Keenjhar Lake. When King
Jam Tamachi of the Sama period fell in love with a young lady Noori from a
fisherman family of Keenjhar and married her.
The graves of both of them
are located in the middle of Keenjhar Lake. Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai has also
sung the story of Noori Jam Tamachi in his poetry.
People come from all over
Sindh to enjoy natural beauty of the lake. But people from Karachi, Thatta and
Hyderabad come to the lake every week because of heat. The Sindh Tourism
Development Corporation (STDC), a subsidiary of Sindh Provincial Tourism
Department, has also built the best residential rooms and restaurants.
Keenjhar Lake is the only
source of employment for thousands of fishermen living in vicinity of the lake,
who earn their living by catching fish. Apart from this, Keenjhar Lake is also
the source of livelihood for thousands of families who cut the reeds growing in
the lake to make mats and roofs of huts.
Also visit: Lulusar Lake: Beautiful and Mesmerizing Lake of Pakistan
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