Minar-e-Pakistan

Minar-e-Pakistan (Urdu، مینارِ پاکستان), which literally translates to “Tower of Pakistan” in Urdu, is a public monument in Iqbal Park Lahore, Pakistan, which was built in the 1960s to commemorate the Lahore Resolution. The tower is constructed on the site where, on 23 March 1940, seven years before the formation of Pakistan, the Muslim League passed the Pakistan Resolution (Qarardad-e-Pakistan), demanding the creation of Pakistan.^[1] This was the first official declaration to establish a separate homeland for the Muslims living in the Indian Subcontinent.^[2]

 

Design

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

The tower was designed and supervised by Nasreddin Murat-Khan,an architect/engineer hailing from Daghestan.^[3] The structural design was given by a civil engineer Abdur Rehman Khan Niazi from Lahore, who was working with Murat Khan. The design approved by the President was built by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company.^{[citation needed]} 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. 500,000. The money was collected by imposing additional tax on the cinema and horse racing tickets on the demand of governor of west Pakistan Akhtar Hussain. 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 meters above the ground. The tower rises about 62 meters on the base, thus the total height of minaret is about 92 meters above the ground. The unfolding petals of the flower-like base are 9 meters high. The diameter of the tower is about 9.75 m, and marble. 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.^[4] Mr. Mukhtar Masood a prolific writer and the then deputy commissioner of Lahore was one of the many commissioners heading the Building Committee.

 Inscriptions

At the base, there are floral inscriptions on ten converging white marble Commemorative plaques. The inscriptions include the text of Lahore Resolution in Urdu, Bengali and English, and Delhi Resolution’s text, which was passed on 9 April 1946. On different plaques, Quranic verses and 99 attributes of God are inscribed in Arabic calligraphy, whereas National Anthem of Pakistan in Urdu and Bengali, excerpts from the speeches of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in Urdu, Bengali and English, as well as few couplets of Allama Iqbal are inscribed.^[4]

Concerns

With the growth of the city and location of the monument at busy intersection of Circular Road and Multan Road, air pollution from traffic-congestion is continuously damaging the marble structure which is now in need of refurbishment.

23 March Pakistan Day

Pakistan Day (Urdu: یوم پاکستان, lit. Youm-e-Pakistan) or Pakistan Resolution Day also Republic Day is a national holiday in Pakistan to commemorate the Lahore Resolution of 1940^[1] and the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan during the transition of the Dominion of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 making Pakistan the world’s first Islamic republic.^[2] Republic Day parade by the armed forces is a common celebration for the event.^[3]

Pakistan had obtained its independence from the British Raj the 14th of August 1947. 23 March was originally supposed to commemorate the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan and thus the declaration of Pakistan as a republic. However, Field Marshal Ayub Khan abrogated the constitution and declared martial law. Khan’s regime, in order to justify celebrating the national day, changed it to commemorate the 1940 landmark, during which All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution which later cemented the formation of a new nation in the sub-continent as Pakistan, even though it did not actually mention Pakistan at all. The Muslim League annual conference was held from 22–24 March 1940 and the Lahore Resolution was passed on 23 March.

Chudhary Rahmat Ali

Chaudhry Rahmat Ali (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Intellectuals give lines of movement, leaders act upon and the masses prove good soldiers and this way nations accomplish their achievements. Rahmat Ali was one of the eminent scholars who made a significant contribution to the movement for the establishment of Pakistan. He was conscious of Muslim identity and outlined proposals for the partition of India for the sake of Muslims. He was the man who coined the name, PAKISTAN, for the Muslim state. When he first presented his proposal for a Muslim state, nobody took it seriously.

The Muslim intellectuals and leaders were concerned about the future of the Muslims in India. They ensured a secure future for Muslims. For this purpose they worked out various proposals for securing a homeland. Rahmat Ali becomes relevant here.

Biographical Sketch

Ch. Rahmat Ali was born in Hoshiarpur district in 1893. Traditionally he did his B.A. from Islamia College, Lahore. He did the private and government jobs for some time and then left for Cambridge University for higher education. He was involved actively in the activities for the protection of rights of the Indian Muslims along with some other students at Cambridge University. His activism goes back to his student days in Lahore when he talked of separate state for Muslims of India.

Rahmat Ali’s Views

He said that North Western areas are Muslim majority ares. We will not only keep these majorities but will turn them into a Muslim state. Muslims should get rid of Indianism, it is better for Muslims and Islam. In his writing, NOW OR NEVER (January 1933), he proposed the name of Muslim state, PAKISTAN.
P Punjab
A Afghania NWFP
K Kashmir
S Sind
TAN Balochistan

INDIA cannot be described as a state/country or home of single nation. This state did not exist as one political entity before the advent of the British. The Muslims are a distinct nation who has maintained its identity throughout. They are a separate nation. They have as much right to live as the Hindus. Pakistan should be separated from the rest of India. He further said that the conflict between Muslims and Hindus is not religious, sectarian or economic but an international. The Muslims are striving for survival; Hindus are trying for domination over the other nations living in the Sub-Continent particularly the Muslims.

He established the Pakistan National Movement in 1940. He began to talk about Bengal and Hyderabad as Muslim areas and separate states. Bang-i-Islam would comprise of Bengal and Assam and Osmanistan of Hyderabad Deccan.

He visited Pakistan in 1948 but the atmosphere of the motherland did not suit him and so he returned to Cambridge. He died there on 11 February 1951.

His Contribution

It is the ever-shining contribution of Rahmat Ali that he coined the name of the Muslim state. He said that being nation, the Indian Muslims deserved a separate homeland. He gave the future lines to the Muslims considering Islamic thoughts universal and true in comparison with the contemporary isms. When the Lahore Resolution was passed, it was instantly described as Pakistan Resolution. It, the division of India, was the solution of Hindu-Muslim question but Rahmat Ali proposed this long before the Lahore Resolution.