Balakot

Balakot (Urdu: بالاکوٹ), is a town in Mansehra District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The town was destroyed during the 2005 earthquake and later rebuilt with the assistance of the Government of Pakistan and Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims (SPAPEV), a Saudi relief organization. A separate project, initiated by the Government of Pakistan 'New Balakot City' is being developed near Mansehra, with plans to relocate the population of two Union Councils of Balakot, demarcated as a Red Zone.

Location

Balakot is one of the main cities of Mansehra District. It serves as the chief city of Balakot Tehsil, which is the largest Tehsil of Mansehra District. It is also a Union Council and administers the many surrounding smaller towns and villages

Balakot is located at 34°33′N 73°21′E about thirty-eight kilometers north-east of the city of Mansehra, in North West Frontier Province. It has an average elevation of 972 metres (3190 feet). It is a historical town, a famous tourist destination of the region and the gateway to Kaghan valley of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The river Kunhar, originating from Lulusar lake, runs through the city and merges with Jhelum River just outside Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir.