Pakistan's Monument

 

Pakistan's Monument

Night view of the Pakistan Monument

Public monumentArchitectural styleMughalLocation Islamabad, PakistanCoordinates33°41′36′′N 73°04′06′′EConstruction started 25 May 2004Inaugurated 23 March 2007OwnerMinistry of CultureLandlordCapital Development AuthorityDesign and constructionArchitect(s)Arif Masoud

Stone Forever Pvt. Ltd. does marble and granite work. EngineerSyed Mahmud KhalidOther designersMushtaq & BilalMain contractorUniversal Corporation.

Brig. Maqbul Ahmad Khan SI(M) is the Project Director.

Pakistan Monument is a national monument and a museum located in the western Shakarparian Hills of Islamabad, Pakistan. The monument represents Pakistan's unity. There is a special dedication to the people of Pakistan who sacrificed their "today" for a better "tomorrow".

There are four main cultures in Pakistan, the Punjabi, the Baloch, the Sindhi, and the Pakhtun. The smaller petals represent two minorities, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Its elevation makes the monument visible across the Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area[1].

Conception [edit]

A national monument was first envisioned in 2002 by the Pakistani government and Uxi Mufti, who was the son of Mumtaz Mufti. It was the Ministry of Culture's responsibility to organize a competition for national monument designs through the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners. The theme was to create a symbol of strength, unity, and dedication to the nation that represented Pakistan's independence and freedom. From 21 submissions, three were shortlisted. A final design by Arif Masoud was selected and approved by the government on 10 July 2003. The foundation stone was laid on 25 May 2004, and the project was completed in 2006. The opening ceremony took place on 23 March 2007 during the presidential visit by President General Pervez Musharraf.

Design concept [edit]

Its design holds roots in the rich Mughal architecture of the Subcontinent, covering an area of 2.8 hectares (6.9 acres). Mughal muqarnas inspired its petal-shaped structure. The architect says, "We should learn from history, but we should not stay there." He used today's technology to modernize the muqarnas' historic form. Pakistanis' unity and togetherness are symbolized by the petal-shaped structure. In fact, it represents Pakistan's four different cultures rather than the four provinces (as mistakenly assumed). Punjabi, Baloch, Sindhi, and Pakhtun cultures are represented by the four large petals. Minorities Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan are represented by the three smaller petals. Pakistan is formed by all seven petals, although they are independent. Each is protecting his country's flag, standing together.

The monument features a golden flag star made of shiny black granite, representing the sacrifices made by the people for Pakistan. It features inspirational writings by Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Its interior walls feature artwork depicting landmarks in Pakistan, notable figures from Pakistan's independence movement, musical themes and dance themes. The petals are constructed of granite (projecting in a suspended cantilever form, among the largest in Asia). A number of landmarks are depicted, including Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque, and Khyber Pass. The Pakistani Minaret.

The museum also narrates Pakistan's history and tells its creation story, aside from the People's Monument. They are connected by Freedom Plaza, a large piazza. Though the architect's name is engraved on the main Dedication Plaque located at the beginning of the main plaza, he has honored all construction workers by placing their hand impressions along the long walls flanking the plaza on both sides. The monument has a viewing platform at the far end from which you are able to see Islamabad from above. From the air, the monument looks like a crescent moon and a star. Pakistan's flag includes these symbols.[8][9][10]

Museum [edit]

Museum of Pakistan Monuments and Lok Virsa Museum

The Pakistan Monument Museum[7] is located adjacent to the monument and features a wax museum depicting historical events that led to the Pakistan Movement. Furthermore, the facilities include a reference library, audio-visual archive, conference room along with a 62-seat capacity auditorium called Panorama Hall. In 2015, the complex was visited by around 1,500 tourists per day, totaling 0.57 million visitors[12], while in 2018, there were 514,944 visitors.