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Passing through a fertile valley some 22-km westward of Choa Saidan Shah is the lakeside village of Kallar Kahar (Salt Lake). The lake is marshy and salt encrusted as you approach it from the east and is crowned by a hill on the far shore.
Coming from Islamabad it is at a distance of 80-km southwest. It is at an altitude of 4.500 feet and the village has 6.000 inhabitants. It is a dream world for a holidaymaker with a lake, a spring, and natural groves, plenty of peacocks and remnant of a brush with history. The place finds a special mention in the Tuzk-e-Babri. Inspired by the beauty of Kallar Kahar, Babar. The founder of the Moghul Empire composed a eulogy in Persian, describing the spell and charm of nature so resplendent in Kallar Kahar. He had camped here for a while when he fed the expedition from Kabul to Delhi and the stone throne perched on a hillock is still there.
The valley of Kallar Kahar is situated at a distance of about 205 miles from Lahore. It is approachable from Chakwal by a detour to the southwest. Kallar Kahar (Kahar means Lake), which is on the north side of the Salt Range and the temple of Malot.In the center of the village is a spring helping augment the water supply for drinking and raising crops All around the spring is a fruit garden further adding coolness and gaiety to the spot.
Atop the hill overlooking the spring is a centuries old Mazar of a saint said to have been buried during the Moghul days. In addition to the devotees that throng the Mazar, there are hundreds of not-too-shy peacocks, which lend charm to the whole setting. These beautiful birds - becoming scarce elsewhere - are well looked after by nature, least disturbed by the local inhabitants, thanks to the common belief that anyone harming the peacocks would go blind.
Close to the fruit orchards, down the slope, is a big lake bounded by sidewalks and roads. Overlooking the lake is a rest house where visitors enjoy the gasping scene particularly during the morning hours, when more often ducks of mallard variety are seen taking a dip. The lake serves as an ideal staging post for the migrating birds from the northern areas. Remains of a fort and temple on a precipitous spur projecting from the southern edge of the salt range believed to have been built by Raja Mal a Janjua chief sometimes in the 10th century, when this region was a part of Kashmir.
Right on the water's edge, are rest houses of the District Council, Forest Department and Police Department. The former can be booked at the office of Chairman District Council Jhelum and Division Forest Officer, Jhelum respectively. The latter can be booked at the office of S.P. Jhelum.
In the days gone by Sakesar used to be the summer headquarters of district officials or the English Sahibs-heads of the three adjoining districts-Sargodha, Mianwali and Campbellpur.Sakesar acquired a name for itself in 1970 when it housed the booster TV Station providing entertainment to the residents of the area.
Still there is need and expectations of all those thinking types that the adjoining hills Lying across Sakesar should be developed into a hill resort even if the finances generated by the much publicized rural integrated programmers are pressed into service so as the common citizen gets a respite from heat. As it is, the nearby Chashma barrage can serve an addition tourist attraction.