ISLAMABAD: Within Pakistan’s borders sit impressive snow-capped mountains in the north, the ancient deserts of Sindh province in the south, the vast and rolling plains of the Punjab, the rugged hills of Baluchistan, and of course, many man-made landmarks that attack tourists from around the world to the South Asian Muslim nation of 208 million people.
In the nation’s capital, Islamabad, is the iconic Faisal Mosque, the fourth largest mosque in the world and the largest in South Asia with the capacity to host 250,000 worshippers. Along Islamabad’s Constitution Avenue, the country’s seat of power, Parliament House, the Presidential Palace, the Supreme Court and many other important and grand government buildings stand in line. The Pakistan Monument, a heritage museum which overlooks Kashmir Highway and is located on the western Shakarparian Hills, is another contributor to Islamabad’s charm.
About 180 kilometers away from Islamabad is the ancient city of Peshawar whose Bala Hissar Fort has been around since the 1700s, passed along to various rulers of the area, including the Sikh Empire and the Afghans. Sitting on high ground, the fort has a 360-degree view of Peshawar and is one of the nation’s oldest protected landmarks.
In Pakistan’s richest and most populous province of Punjab, there are many landmarks to boast of. The 17th century Lahore Fort in the city’s ancient walled city is a walk away from the colourful Wazir Khan Mosque, a mashup of brilliant-hued tiles and covered in frescos. Both are around the corner from perhaps one of Pakistan’s best-known landmarks, the Badshahi Mosque. Built in 1673 under Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, the mosque is the second largest in Pakistan after Faisal Mosque. Its outside prayer area is able to house 100,000 visitors and the inside prayer hall 10,000.
Not far from this stretch of history are the Shalimar Gardens commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan, a garden complex reflecting the golden rule of the Mughal era. And last but not the least, Lahore has the Minar-E-Pakistan, built between 1960 and 1968 on the site where the All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution on 23 March, 1940, the first official call for a separate and independent homeland for the Muslims of British India.
Another Mughal complex is Hiran Minar in Punjab’s Sheikapura city, a standing museum of the artistry and architecture of Mughal rule. A fun fact about the beautiful complex: it was built in honour of Emperor Jehangir’s pet antelope.
Faisalabad, another city in Punjab, is home to the University of Agriculture built in 1906, as well as the famed Clock Tower constructed by the British. Next, about 130 km south of Bahawalpur city in southern Punjab is the formidable Derawar Fort. In the heart of the Cholistan Desert, the fort has been home to both Hindu leaders and Muslim nawabs and experienced many renovations over the years. Today it is the largest square fort structure in South Asia and a popular tourist attraction for foreigners and Pakistanis alike.
In the southern Sindh province is the city by the sea, Karachi, and the marble tomb of Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, known as Mazar-e-Quaid. Another city landmark is the majestic Mohatta Palace, transformed from the summer home of a Hindu businessman in pre-partition Pakistan to a popular museum and tourist attraction. Karachi also has the famed Empress Market, built sometime in the late 1800s by the British Raj.
Up north in the mountainous region of Hunza, another iconic fort, the Altit Fort, stands frozen in time, looking over the entire valley. Though by no means the largest fort in Pakistan, Altit Fort sits atop one of Pakistan’s (if not the world’s) most beautiful landscapes of crisp blue waters, dense green forest, glistening white glaciers and snow-capped peaks. The Shikari Tower housed in the fort dates back around 1,100 years.
Finally, in the southwestern province of Baluchistan is the Ziarat Residency where Pakistan’s founder Jinnah spent the last days of his life, the blue waters of the Waaaadi-e-Bolan mountain gorge and the exotic, rugged peaks of Hingol National Park.
