best: 11/01/10

Monday, 1 November 2010

Beautiful Islamabad

Islamabad (Meaning "Abode of Islam") is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. The population of the city has increased from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.21 million in 2009. The Rawalpindi/Islamabad Metropolitan Area is the third largest in Pakistan with a population of over 4.5 million inhabitants.

Islamabad has the highest literacy rate in Pakistan and is home to the some of the top ranked universities in Pakistan, including Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences and the National University of Sciences and Technology. Allama Iqbal Open University in Islamabad is the world's second largest university by enrollment.

Islamabad is located in the Pothohar Plateau in the north of the country, within the Islamabad Capital Territory. The region has historically been a part of the crossroads of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Margalla pass acting as the gateway between the two regions. The city was built during the 1960s to replace Karachi as Pakistan's capital.

Islamabad is a well-organized city divided into different sectors and zones. It was ranked as a Gamma world city in 2008. The city is home to Faisal Mosque, the largest mosque in South Asia and the sixth largest mosque in the world.

Beautiful view of Islamabad

Beautiful color combination

New Islamabad Airport.!

Looking at Karachi and Lahore airports Islamabad badly needs a bigger and better airport and ofcourse isloo people need to get rid of this old airport at chaklala with annoying jerky buses , cold terminals and chaotic securtiy check system . The New Islamabad International airport will replace the existing one located in Rawalpindi. This airport is located in Fateh Jang, which is 30km south-west of the city. The construction had already started in 2008 . Sources say that this project will be completed in 2011 or 2012 and is going to cost around Rs 24 Billion .

Pakistan Monument

Night view of Pakistan Monument

Pakistan Monument Museum

Abbas - Blind Singer From Skardu - Pakistan

beautiful Voice!! (Punjabi)

Minar-e-Pakistan Lahore

Minar-e-Pakistan (or Yadgaar-e-Pakistan) is a tall minaret in Iqbal Park Lahore, built in commemoration of theLahore Resolution. The minaret reflects 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 (Qarardad-e-Lahore), demanding the creation of Pakistan. This was the first official declaration to establish a separate homeland for the Muslims living in the subcontinent. Pakistan now celebrates this day as a national holiday each year.

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 ever so popular among kite-flyers.

Design:

The tower was designed free of cost by Nasreddin Murat-Khan, a an architect/engineer hailing from Daghestan. The design approved by the President was built by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company. The foundation stone was laid on March 23, 1960. The construction took eight years of time, and was completed in 1968. The Minar was completed on 31 October 1968 at an estimated cost of Rs. 7.5 million. The money was collected by imposing additional tax on the cinema and horse racing tickets. Today, the minaret provides a panoramic view to visitors who can climb up the stairs or through an elevator. The parks around the monument include marble fountains and an artificial lake.

Structure

The base is about 8 meters above the ground. The tower rises about 60 meters on the base, thus the total height of minaret is about 72 meters above the ground. The unfolding petals of the flower-like base are 9 meters high. The diameter of the tower is about 97.5 meters (320 feet). The base platform is shaped like a five-pointed star and encloses two crescent shaped pools. There is a central spiral staircase rising up with 162 steps. The top-dome of the minaret is made of Stainless steel inlaid with fine glass pieces.

The structure is made of reinforced concrete, stones, and marble. The rostrum is built of patterned tiles, and faces the Badshahi Mosque. The base comprises four platforms. To symbolise humble beginnings of the freedom struggle, first platform is built with uncut Taxila stones, second platform is made of hammer-dressed stones, whereas third platform is of chiselled stones. Polished white marble at the fourth and final platform depicts the success of the Pakistan Movement. Mr. Mukhtar Masood a prolific writer and the then deputy commissioner of Lahore was responsible for the construction of this monument.

Inscriptions

At the base, there are floral inscriptions on ten converging white marble Commemorative plaques. The inscriptions include the text of Lahore Resolution in Urdu, Bengali and English, and Delhi Resolution’s text, which was passed on April 9, 1946. On different plaques, Quranic verses and 99 attributes of God are inscribed in Arabic calligraphy, whereas National Anthem of Pakistan in Urdu and Bengali, excerpts from the speeches of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in Urdu, Bengali and English, as well as few couplets of Allama Iqbal are inscribed.

Pakistani boys with foot ball!!!

free style Pakistani boys

Lahore Railway Station

The Lahore Railway Station in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan was built by British colonists between 1859-1860 at the cost of half a million Rupees. It is of typical grand British architecture in South Asia during the British Raj period. The railway network established by the British was extensive and is one of their lasting contributions to the culture and infrastructure of this region.

The railway station has 11 platforms (1 to 9, with 2 extra platforms, 3A and 6A). Platform No. 1 is of special importance, as this platform is the destination of "Samjhauta Express", the train service between Pakistan and India.

History:

Lahore railway station was commissioned by the British Government and construction was contracted to Main Mohammad Sultan Chagatai, a formal prince of the Royal Mughal Empire. The front portion was disliked by the government (as seen in older photographs) and was subsequently rebuilt by Sultan Mohd. from his own pocket.

Beautiful Badshahi Mosque Lahore

Badshahi Masjid Lahore loosely translates to “one more angel” and is the second largest mosque in the country of Pakistan. Located in the city of Lahore, the mosque was built in 1674 and can hold up to an astounding 55,000 people at a time.

This particular mosque was built during the reign of Emperor Aurenzeb, who is fondly remembered as the last of the Mughal rulers. Build adjacent to the Lajore Fort, the mosque incurred a great deal of damage later on during the Sikh Rule and was once even used as a horse stable. At one point Muslims weren’t even allowed to worship within the mosque’s walls, forced to gather in a small place on the lawn.

After the British took control of India they used the mosque as a place to practice shooting and store their cannons. They even went as far as demolishing one of the walls to prevent the Muslims from using it as a place to gather to discuss their anti-British sentiments. Later the British returned the mosque to the Muslims, who then spent hundreds of years carrying out extensive repairs. The mosque undergoes constant construction and change to this day.