Abbottabad

(States Twitter)-Abbottabad, ایبٹ آباد, is a city located in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, 50 kilometres (31 mi) northeast of Islamabad and 150 kilometres (93 mi) east of Peshawar at an altitude of 4,120 feet (1,260 m) and is the capital of the Abbottabad District. The city is well-known throughout Pakistan for its pleasant weather, high standard educational institutions and military establishments. It remains a major hub for tourism of regions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir in the summer.

On Sunday, May 1, 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama announced that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had been killed in a military operation by U.S. special forces in a compound in Abbottabad.The compound's specific location has been identified by The Telegraph in this Google map.

Geography

The city is bounded at all four sides by the Sarban hills, from which residents and tourists can see breathtaking views of the region and city. The location of the city and the hills allows Abbottabad to experience pleasant weather in the summer and cold winters. Neighbouring districts are Mansehra to the north, Muzaffarabad to the east, Haripur to the west and Rawalpindi to the south. Tarbela Dam is situated west of Abbottabad.

Topography

Abbottabad is situated in the Orash Valley lying between 34°09′N latitude and 73°13′E longitude at an altitude of 4,120 feet (1,260 m).

Climate

Abbottabad's climate exhibits a humid subtropical climate, with mild to warm temperatures during the spring and autumn months, humid temperatures during the months of June and July and cool to mild during the winter. The temperature can rise as high as 30°C during the mid-summer months and rarely drop below 0°C during the winter months. Snowfall can occur in January, though it is sparse, while most rainfall occurs during the monsoon season stretching from May to August and frequently causes flooding.

Tourism

Abbottabad has been attracting tourists to the city since the colonial era, as it is a major transit point to all major tourist regions of Pakistan such as Nathiagali and Naran. According to the Imperial Gazetteer of India, "the town is picturesquely situated at the southern corner of the Rash (Orash) plain, 4,120 feet (1,260 m) above the sea. Like much of the mountainous Northern Areas, tourism is one of the important sources of income in Abbottabad. In the summer when temperatures rise to around 45 degrees Celsius in Punjab and NWFP, a large number of tourists travel north to Abbottabad.

Transport

Abbottabad's main public transport consists of modified pickup vans Suzukis, which can accommodate anywhere from 8 to 13 people at one time. Taxis are also available as well as wagons which connect Abbottabad to the surrounding cities and towns (ex. Nathiagali, Sherwan, Dhamtour, Haripur, Mansehra) in the region. Abbottabad is also served by Daewoo Express and Niazi Express.

Rail

Pakistan Railways does not serve Abbottabad however a PR Reservation Office is located in Fawara Chowk in the city centre. The nearest railway station is located in Havalian, which is the last and most northern station on the Pakistan Railway network. The station is approximately thirty minutes drive south from Abbottabad city centre.

Death of Osama bin Laden

Main Post: Death of Osama bin Laden

On May 2, 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed in Abbottabad. Karachi's Geo News had a few hours earlier described a helicopter crash and "heavy firing" on the evening of May 2 "near the PMA (Pakistan Military Academy 34°10′50″N 73°15′00″E)- Kakul Road", which forks off toward the northeast from the Karakoram Highway two kilometers northeast of the center of Abbottabad.Details of the raid as it was observed from a distance were tweeted by a resident of Abbottabad, who did not know what was happening.