Ayub National Park

Ayub National Park, often called Ayub Park or historically Topi Rakh Park, is a national park in Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. It is found along the Grand Trunk Road, close to the old presidency area. The park was created before Pakistan was formed and spans 313 acres.

It was named to honor Field Marshal Ayub Khan, a former President of Pakistan. Ayub National Park is the largest park in the Islamabad–Rawalpindi metropolitan area and is considered one of the biggest parks in Asia.

History

The park was created a long time ago during the British Raj as a fun place for picnics, called Topi Rakh Park. In 1959, it became a national park named after Ayub Khan. It once had an open-air theater where many important events happened, but the park was not taken care of well and almost stopped being used in the early 1990s.

In 2001, new leaders gave control of the park to a group that made many improvements, adding play areas, paths for walking, and green spaces. In November 2021, a special garden called "Miracle Garden" was opened, along with a place to recycle waste and a chairlift for people to enjoy the views.

Features

The south side of the park used to be muddy and overgrown, but in 2014 it was turned into a cricket area with lights for playing at night. Many clubs and players use it during Ramadan, and it hosted a big tournament for young players in 2021.

There is also a hockey field made with special artificial grass that was opened in January 2022.

Some old buildings in the park are now places to stay overnight.

The Jungle World part of the park has fun rides and a zoo. In 2020, many animals moved there from another zoo that closed. As of 2022, the zoo has many different kinds of animals and birds.