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.