Minar-e-Pakistan

Minar-e-Pakistan

Minar-e-Pakistan is a public monument located in Iqbal Park which is one of the largest urban parks in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.The tower was constructed during the 1960s on the site where, on 23 March 1940, the All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution, the first official call for a separate homeland for the Muslims living in the South Asia, in accordance with the two nation theory.The place apparently is the exact spot where the Independence declaration of India, the Purna Swaraj was announced in 1929 after the Lahore session of Indian National Congress and the then Indian flag was hoisted as there was no demand for Pakistan till then.

Design

The tower reflects a blend of Mughal, Islamic and modern architecture.

The tower was designed and supervised by Nasreddin Murat-Khan, an architect and engineer hailing from Daghistan.The structural design was given by Nasreddin Murat-Khan (a qualified engineer himself), assisted by Engineer Abdur Rehman Khan Niazi who was working as Structural Design Engineer for Illeri N. Murat-Khan & Associates. Approved by the President, the design was built by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company.The foundation stone was laid on 23 March 1960. The construction took eight years, and was completed in 1968. The Minar was completed on 31 October 1968 at an estimated cost of Rs 7,058,000. The money was collected by imposing an additional tax on the cinema and horse racing tickets on the demand of Akhtar Hussain governor of West Pakistan. Today, the minaret provides a panoramic view to visitors who can climb up the stairs or through an elevator. The parks around the monument include marble fountains and an artificial lake.

Structure

The base is about 8 metre above the ground. The tower rises about 62 metres on the base, thus the total height of minaret is about 70 metres above the ground. The unfolding petals of the flower-like base are 9 metres high. The diameter of the tower is about 9.75 meters. The rostrum is built of patterned tiles, and faces the Badshahi Mosque. The base comprises four platforms. To symbolise humble beginnings of the freedom struggle, first platform is built with uncut Taxila stones, second platform is made of hammer-dressed stones, whereas third platform is of chiselled stones. Polished white marble at the fourth and final platform depicts the success of the Pakistan Movement.Mr. Mukhtar Masood, a prolific writer and the then–deputy commissioner ofLahore, was one of the members of the Building Committee.