Pakistan National Monument

Past weekend I traveled to the capital city, Islamabad, with my kids to meet family and friends. 

Islamabad has lots of beautiful places to visit but this time the main attraction was the Pakistan Monument as it was built in 2007 and I did not get the opportunity to see it before. The monument is spread over a total area of 2.8 hectares. The high location makes the monument visible from across the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. 


The Pakistan National Monument represents the nation's four provinces and three territories. The four main petals of the monument represent the four provinces, while the three smaller petals represent the three territories (Gilgit-Baltistan,Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas).The blooming flower shape of the monument represents Pakistan's progress as a rapidly developing country. 


The inner walls of the petals are decorated with murals. The central platform is made in the shape of a five-pointed star which is surrounded by a water body. A metallic crescent surrounding the star is inscribed with sayings of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and poetry of Allama Iqbal. The Monument has been designed to reflect the culture and civilization of the country and depicts the story of the Pakistan Movement, dedicated to those who sacrificed themselves for future generations.

From air the monument looks like a star (center) and a crescent moon (formed by walls forming the petals), just like the star and crescent on Pakistan's flag.