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Balakot (Urdu: بالاکوٹ), located about thirty kilometres from the city of Mansehra, is a town in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. It is a famous tourist destination of the region is one of the first stops for tourists who wish to visit the secluded Kaghan valley of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. The river Kunhar runs through the city. Balakot is also the main cities in this area, and is surrounded by many smaller towns and villages.

The Sikhs invaded Mansehra in the year 1818 after stiff resistance from its inhabitants. As the Mansehra region fell under Sikh control, it was annexed to Punjab. Syed Ahmad Shaheed and Shah Ismail Shaheed with the help of the Mujahadeen, including the Swatis of Balakot and Syeds of Kaghan, led many revolts and attacks against the Sikhs. At last on 6th May 1831 during a fierce battle Syed Ahmad Shaheed and Shah Ismail Shaheed along with hundreds of their followers were killed. The central mosque of Balakot is named after Syed Ahmed Shaheed. Qazi Khalil Ahmed District Khateeb of District Mansehra,is the present Khateeb of Central Syed Ahmed Shaheed Mosque Balakot. The mosque is destroyed second time by the natural disaster, as it was just reconstructed again after being destroyed by a 1992 flood in Balakot.

The town was completely destroyed in the massive 2005 Kashmir earthquake on 8 October 2005. The United Arab Emirates has volunteered to rebuild this small city into a more spectacular one with housing colonies, schools, hospitals, and other civic facilities. However the Pakistani government has announced that the city will be abandoned, and rebuilt in a new location[1].

• Pictures of destruction in Balakot including aerial view of the town

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