The Soon Valley is in the north west of Khushab District, Punjab, Pakistan. Its largest settlement is the town of Naushera. The valley extends from the village of Padhrar to Sakesar, the highest peak in the Salt Range. The valley is long and has an average width of. It covers a area. Soon Valley has much scenic beauty, with lakes, waterfalls, jungle, natural pools and ponds. The valley has been settled since ancient times, including by the Awan tribe, whose descendants still live in the valley. The peak of Mount Sakesar is at above sea level. It was once the summer headquarters of the Deputy Commissioners of three districts - Campbelpur, Mianwali and Shahpur. It is the only mountain in this part of the Punjab which receives snowfall in winter. In the late 1950s the Pakistan Air Force placed a radar station on Sarkesar to monitor airspace over north-eastern Pakistan. Also on the mountain is a television transmission center with which the Pakistan Television Corporation relays its transmissions to the surrounding area.
In 997 CE, Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi, took over the Ghaznavid dynasty empire established by his father, Sultan Sebuktegin. In 1005 he conquered the Shahis in Kabul and followed it by conquests within the Punjab region. The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the region. The Punjab region became predominantly Muslim due to missionarySufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of the Punjab. The Janjua clan settled in the valley when Babur, the first Mughal emperor passed through on military campaigns, according to his memoirs, the Baburnama. The grave of Raja Tatar Khan Janjua is in Khutakka, the centre of his rule. The remnants of his fort 'Akrand' still stand. The Janjua were scattered after the attack of Hari Singh Bhangi in 1760 and their descendants settled in Kattha, Ratala Rajgaan, Jaswal, Dhak, Jauharabad and Shahpur. The Awans of the Soon Valley were also amongst those the British considered to be "martial race". The British recruited army heavily from Soon Valley for service in the colonial army, and as such, the Awans of this area also formed an important part of the British Indian Army, serving with distinction during World Wars I and II. Of all the Muslim groups recruited by the British, proportionally, the Awans produced the greatest number of recruits during the First and Second World Wars. Contemporary historians Professor Ian Talbot and Professor Tan Tai Yong have asserted that the Awans are viewed as a martial race by not only the British, but neighbouring tribes as well. Awans occupy the highest ranks of the Pakistani Army. A village by the name of Manawan is also among the notable historical villages of the valley.
Notable people
The Valley has devoted its sons to Pakistan Armed forces. Notable personalities are:
The Government of Punjab constructed the road from Nurewala to Naushehra in recognition of services rendered by the Awans of Soon Valley during the First World War. Sir W.M. Hailey, the Governor of Punjab formally opened the road on April 1, 1928 - as commemorated on plaques between Khushab and Sakesar as the road enters the hills.
Culture
Many inhabitants of the valley descend from tribes of Arab origin. Islamic culture and traditions are the norm. Practices include arranged marriages according to the Islamic traditions, where the wedding ceremony takes place at a mosque. The Nikah is attended by close family members, relatives, and friends of the bride and groom. Usually men and women are separated, either sitting in separate rooms or with a purdah separating them. Luddi is a folk dance for celebratory occasions, when the music is often played on the dhol drum and shehnai oboe.
Lakes of Soon Valley
is a picturesque salt waterlake in the southern Salt Range overlooked by mount Sakaser, the highest mountain in the Salt Range. Its brackish water means that its waters are lifeless. Khabikki Lake is also a salt water lake in the southern Salt Range. It is one kilometer wide and two kilometres long. Khabikki is also the name of a neighbouring village. These lakes attract thousands of migratory birds each year including rare white-headed ducks from Central Asia. Jhalar Lake is another serene lake in the valley, it is accessible from Nowshehra as well as from Sargodha.
Historical places
Akrand Fort of Janjua's.
Lakes: Uchhali Lake, Khabikki Lake and Jhalar Lake.
The ancient pre-Islamic ancient Hindu temple, is near the Amb Shareef village, on the Sakesar mountain in the Soon Valley. The temple complex, built in brick and mortar, is complex of two temples facing each other. The main temple is several story high, roughly 15 to 20 meter tall. To the west about 75 meters lies another smaller temple, which is 2 story or 7 to 8 meters high. It is located on the Sakesar mountain, near Amb Shareef village.
