The best way to honor the past is to preserve it. That is what several important buildings and sites may speak today. It is interesting to note that the national monuments of Pakistan are primarily restricted to sites and buildings which identify with the leaders or event of the partition. Still, there are other sites with glorious offerings of their own. Below is the list of some of the most important buildings of Pakistan. The list is deliberately chosen to include the sites from all the provinces.
1.
Ali Masjid
Ali Masjid is a mosque situated along the Khyber Pass that snakes through the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to the legend, the mosque derives its name from the Islamic caliph, Hazrat Ali; local traditions put that he traveled the area. True or false, the mosque gives a spectacular image and serves as a stopping point along the way, which has served as a gateway to the empires.
2.
Bab-e-Pakistan
Although not completed, the Bab-e-Pakistan monument seeks to honor the thousands of Muslim families who chose to migrate to the newly-created state of Pakistan in 1947. The monument is located in Lahore and the plan was originally conceived under the military regime of Zia-ul-Haq. Subsequent political tussles couldn't materialize its construction in time and the project is still in process at the moment.
3.
Minar-e-Pakistan
Literally meaning the “Tower of Pakistan,” the Minar was completed during a span of eight years from 1960 to 1968. The monument is located on the same grounds where the famous Lahore Resolution was passed in 1940. The Resolution demanded separate states for the Muslims of the then-India, thus fusing the creation of Pakistan with the minaret. Such has been its importance that when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee came to Pakistan, he visited the tower which washed away any misconception of India's reluctance in accepting Pakistan as a state.
4.
Pakistan Monument
Completed in three years from 2004 to 2007, the Pakistan Monument is a symbolic representation of the four provinces of the country. Situated in Islamabad at a public park, the Monument attracts visitors who are amazed at its architectural brilliance. The interior of its huge petals is decorated with beautiful Islamic murals.
5.
Lahore Fort
As the name suggests, this fort is situated in the city of Lahore – in fact, it is one of the prized buildings of the walled-city of Lahore or Old Lahore. Although the origins of the fort are older, the present structure is said to have been built by the Mughal emperor Akbar. The Fort itself acted as a geo-strategic site that met Kashmir, the Afghan areas, and Multan. Decorated with Mughal architecture, the Fort complex includes such architectural marvels as Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) and Badshahi Mosque.
