11 December 2009, 8:08 am
Minar-e-Pakistan is a tall minaret in Iqbal Park Lahore which is also called Minto Park, built in commemoration of the Lahore Resolution. The minaret reveals a blend of Mughal and modern architecture, and is constructed on the site where on March 23, 1940, seven years before the formation of Pakistan; the Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution, demanding the creation of Pakistan.
This was the first official declaration to establish a separate homeland for the Muslims living in the South Asia. Pakistan now celebrates this day as a national holiday each year.
The base of the structure of Minar-e-Pakistan takes the shape of a five point star and is enclosed within crescent shaped pools. The overall height is approximately sixty meters and the whole structure is constructed of reinforced concrete and furbished with stone and marble walls and floors.
You can climb to the top for an excellent view of the Lahore fort, Badshahi Mosque, the Tomb of Ranjit Singh etc. There is also lake there where the boats are also moored.
The monument attracts visitors from all over Pakistan, as well as the inhabitants of the Walled City of Lahore. The large public space around the monument is commonly used for political and public meetings, whereas Iqbal Park area is popular among kite-flyers.
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.
There are 324 stairs to go to the top, besides a lift inside the Minar-e-Pakistan. The first balcony is 30 feet high, second at 50 feet. There is a separate "Chabootra" abou 12 feet high some distance away from the Minar, on which Quranic aya "Allah al mashriaq wal maghrab" is inscribed. The resting place of Hafeez Jalandhari, the writer of the national anthem of Pakistan, is also in the courtyard of the minar. The Mianr was initially named "Yadgar-e-Pakistan" but was later rightly renamed as "Minar-e-Pakistan".
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