Pathika Valley
Pathika or Patikka is a beautiful place, some 19 miles (31 km) from Muzaffarabad city in Pakistan. It is sub-division of Muzaffarabad.
The valley is accessible by an all-weather road metalled up to Dowarian and well maintained up to Kel. At the gateway to this valley lies a sprawling town to Patikka with a dependable commercial center. Patikka can be the first journey break. This town has a modest bazaar with day-to-day activity. All essential items are available in this bazaar which feeds a fairly large numbers of villages behind it. On its back runs the forth-emitting rivers Neelum. The village and bazaar are connected by a suspension bridge crossable by Jeeps and light vehicles only. The running streams and waters channelling across the Paticha village present another heart-winning scene. This village is fully electrified.
The quality of life here is full of motions despite its simplicity. It is perhaps due to verdure. Financially, it is an affluent town. The majority of the village folk are engaged in profitable business abroad especially in middle east countries. A number of scheduled banks of Pakistan are operating in the village on the strength of remittances from abroad. But despite fettering coffers, the town has no activity.
The serene atmosphere shrouds into lush greenery, milky-white water sources and their rhythmic flow totally absorbs the visitors. Added to the general plant fragrances are the sweet smell of menthol plants along the banks of Nullahs. It's cut way across the crop fields in such wavy manner that its look as a white ribbon over green head of damsel nature. Ancillary roads link Patikha with other surrounding areas uphill and downhill.
Villages include ChangalKalar , Kahori, Bhari, Madar, Mandal, Machiara and some others. The population is scattered and includes Bomba, Chak, Turks/Usmani, Kiyani, Mir, Awans, Syeds, Sheikhs, Khan Mughal, Maldeyal, Gujars.
Local business includes trade, timber, small-scale hoteling. People prefer to go abroad, preferably in the middle east, for the livelihood to support their families.
There is a small zoo located in Pathika which is under supervision of Forestry department and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). There is also a government rest house in Pathika. This place is a gateway to Neelum Valley. WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) has established a national park in Machiara for preservation of wildlife and trees.
