Written by: Aimen Khan
Posted on: July 02, 2019 | 
| 中文
The monument at night (credits to Agha Ahsan)
In Islamabad, people often spend the weekend visiting Centaurus, driving up to Daman-e-Koh, eating at Monal Restaurant, or meeting up with friends in F-11’s cafés. Unfortunately, not many citizens recognize that there’s a wonderful spot nestled away in the Shakarparian Hills, which one only notices while driving down Faisal Avenue. The site is known simply as the Pakistan Monument; a dome-shaped structure that’s architecture encapsulates the best parts of our heritage. It is a wonderful place to visit and reflect as well as a quiet place to watch the city below move.
The Monument was inaugurated in 2007 and covers around 2.8 hectares of land. The design was actually selected as part of a nationwide contest arranged by the government in 2005. The winning design was that of the renowned architect Arif Masoud. Along with his name, Masoud also included the names of those who helped construct the monument itself.
One of the major plus points of visiting the Pakistan Monument is that one doesn’t have to pay a hefty sum or worry about taking days off work to see the wonders of Pakistan. If one pays close attention to the petals, Quaid-e-Azam’s grave is shown next to Minar-e-Pakistan. His house in Ziarat stands above Baab-e-Khyber, and Faisal Masjid is carved with Tarbela Dam. Right next to the Monument is the museum of wax figurines that depict Pakistan’s profound history. And the Lok Virsa museum, which aims to preserve the country’s culture, is also just a drive away. Everything is there, neatly carved in.
But what really stands out is that iconic half-lotus resting upon the peak of the hill. There are four main petals representing the cultures of Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and three smaller ones denoting Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, and FATA. The central platform is in the shape of a star so that in an aerial view, the petals form a crescent moon around the star – a symbol of everything beneath the Pakistani flag. Although each one has been given its own petal in the Monument, their landmarks are all intermingled to show how we need each other to thrive.
Every time I visit the Monument, I am both relieved and saddened to find that there is almost no one there. Relieved, because I am allowed to spend as much time as I want to peacefully gaze at the structure above and the view below. Looking at the images, I can be transported back to a time when Quaid-e-Azam still walked this earth, and the country’s history was unfolding. Sad, because people do not take the monument too seriously, even though it has much to offer if you look hard enough. For me, the Monument is Pakistan itself, in a way.
If one stands in the very center, they can see those iconic images of Allama Iqbal gazing off into the distance, Quaid-e-Azam touching his fingers to his forehead, and Fatima Jinnah smiling gently. One is hit afresh with the realization that these esteemed figures struggled for our freedom. They had a vision and our nation is the product of it. Those images are mingled with those of our present, whether they are of the workers who made it or the people who visit it. The Monument stands tall and proud because it represents everyone.
I encourage everyone to visit this landmark and marvel at its beauty. Go ahead and include it specifically in your plans if you are in Islamabad. Take a day off to visit it, instead of being content with glimpsing it from your car window. It will continue to stand in wait of those who truly cherish it.
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