HELP: Islamabad to Khushab road trip plan

[tazzix]

Hi Everyone

I am planning a trip from Islamabad to Khushab on Eid, I was wondering if somebody has traveled or has knowledge of the route.

I have some questions:

• Which is the best route from M2? Kalar Kahar or Lilla interchange? Last year in December the Lilla to Khushab road was under construction, anyone has any idea of the progress?

• Where is petrol available? Is the Kalar Kahar service area before or after the exit coming from Islamabad?

• Any other tips / advise is most welcome.

Thanks in advance.

[OffRoad]

@tizzx,
Brother I belongs to Khushab.Yes Lilla to Khushab Rout is still underconstruction.Its a single road & its not safe to travell after sun set on this road.
Safe way to Khushab is From M-2 to Kallar Kahar,Kallar Kahar to Pail,Padhrar,Khatta & than Khushab....
Its a 50ft wide GT road.Its safe to travell on it even after su set.It will be 2 1/2 hours drive from Kallah Kahar to Khushab on this road.
Say my salam to Khushab...
Regards,
Malik Fahad

[OffRoad]

Petrol is available on Chakri,Kallah Kahar Service Area,....CNG is also available In Khushab & Johar-abad as well.......

[tazzix]

@OffRoad: thanks a lot bro, I won't be traveling after sunset, but still would avoid under construction roads. I don't know the places you mentioned but last time I took a route, there were a lot of mountain roads so is it the same route? Or you have any road map for this route?

I am on a petrol only vehicle and Joharabad is my exact destination

[HummerH1]

Hi Uncle, I am from Sargodha and travel to Khushab, Joharabad from Islamabad and Sargodha often. According to the latest road condotions plese note the following route: M2-Exit from Bhera interchange-Jhawarian-Shahpur-Khushab. This is the perfect road for you right now.

[tazzix]

@HummerH1: thanks a lot dude. I could not find all the places on the map, but used google earth to create this map which I am loading on my navigation system, can you please verify that I marked the roads (yellow path) correctly?

[Eidee]

My bro went to Joharabad in mid of Sep 07. He took the M2 and took exit from Bhaira (this exit is just BEFORE theBhera rest area). CNG is available on this road as well. So no CNG issue. For petrol i don't have any idea.

[tazzix]

@Eidee: thanks, the yellow thumb-pin in the above picture is the Bhera interchange, I am not sure of the route after wards so I uploaded it here, but seems like nobody is sure if this is the route that you and @HummerH1 are mentioning. I'll upload the GPS data after my trip which maybe useful to others.

[7thgear]

I think all has been covered up there...And yes the M2 Service Area comes before the Kalar Kahar exit. Have a safe journey.

[Porsche_Maker]

To enjoy soeme greenery and the Kinoos take out form M2 from Saalam INterchange and than from the Balwaal-Sargodha n than Khushab its not bad rooad u can keep nice spped on it.

[tazzix]

@7thgear: thanks for the confirmation, that would be my fuel stop then, because the Bhera service area is after the interchange.

@porsche_maker: on my way back last time I got lost and ended up on that route, definitely more beautiful but a lot longer as well, I drive within speed limits and avoid overtaking so ended up on the road 2 hours more than the Kalar Kahar route, and that is a lot if you are traveling with two kids.

[Junaid_Hassan]

@tazzix
Please upload the GPS data of your route as soon as you come back from Khushab.
May you have a safe and sound journey!

[tazzix]

@Junaind_Hassan: I have the Kalar Kahar route GPX, PLT files and the MAP file for street level (with st. nos.) in Islamabad and Google earth snaps calibrated MAP files for the Khushab/M2 area like shown above. I found some maps of Punjab major roads scanned online but they are not clear and have no good points to calibrate them.

I use SmartComGPS on an E61 and a P910i because that is the only software which rotates the map to show traveling direction towards top of the screen. Calibration and data conversion is done in OziExplorer and ExpertGPS. I now use an iTrek Bluetooth GPS, from an earlier Garmin eTrex stand-alone and no maps, which I will be selling anytime now.

Let me know your setup and I maybe able to give you files which are easy for you to use.

[tazzix]

Thanks a lot guys, specially @HummerH1, the route was perfect, straight newly carpeted road good for 80 kmph, driving time from Zero point Islamabad to Joharabad Main bazar was about 2 hours 45 minutes.

Will upload the data shortly on my website and give links here because PW only allows images and videos.

[mianrm]

@tazzix
Hi,can you please upload few pictures of ur trip? so that we can have an idea of that place.

[tazzix]

@mianrm: the plan was to take pics during a visit to the Khewra Salt Mines on Monday. However, Sunday night we got a phone call that my mother-in-law got critical illness and we have to rush to Karachi, we were about 300 km away from any kind of airport and I am not a person to risk driving this distance without a safe amount of sleep. Needless to say no pics.

However, I will make another trip to the region soon and post pics then, for now my boss has to tear me apart to send me working on projects in three different countries and I have to make a trip to my home country as well. That would mean too many pics and I may need to put up a photo album on my own website or create one on flikr or picassa.