Architecture of pakistan

1. Assignment On:
Architecture Sites Of Pakistan
Subject:
Popular & Ethnic Culture
Submitted By:
Faiza Liaquat
Submitted To:
Ma’am Masooda Jalil
Date:
19th
Jan,2015

2. Architecture Sites Of Pakistan
Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi
Pakistan is endowed with a large number of ancient sites and historic structures.
These historic assets are our link with our past and, as the custodians, it is
incumbent upon all Pakistanis to stabilize and conserve them so that they could
survive for many centuries more.
In an age when globalization is all pervasive, it is Pakistan’s ancient lineage that
provides us with a distinct identity. Lest we forget —since this seems to be our best
kept secret from the outside world — Pakistan is a treasure-house of ancient
heritage, spanning over scores of centuries.
Pakistan is home to Mehargarh, Moenjodaro and Harrappa —it is the land that
beckoned Alexander to sail down river Jhelum with purple flags fluttering; the
spectacular Gandharan civilization as the seat of Buddhism; the devotional carvings
of the Hindu Shahi temples of the Salt Range and Tharparkar; the stately funerary
clusters of Makli, Multan and Ucch Sharif, a fusion of local trabeated and imported
arcuate, representing successive Sultanate dynasties; the heart-expanding chahar-
baghs and jewel-like edifices of the greatest kingdom in the world, established by the
young ruler of Farghana; the Sikhs emulating the Great Mughals, and the shared
legacy of eclectic architecture with its European overtones, a bequest of the British
who colonized this land.

3. It is not only the ancient sites and historic monuments, but equally the historic urban
cores, stretched from the peaks of the Khyber in the farthest north to the southern-
most edge of the mighty river Indus — Peshawar, Multan, Thatta and Karachi, and
scores of other living cities with their historic environments, all valuable in our search
for, and understanding of our cultural diversity.
There are the Walled Cities, a depository of irreplaceable architectural heritage, with
their organic morphology and the meandering streetscapes, which need to be saved
from destruction, and revitalized to continue to endow our fast-growing urban centres
with distinction, and historical flair. These footsteps of history are a reflection of a
traditional value system, tempered over centuries, but needing support to meet the
demands of contemporary life without losing their inherent radiance — the traditional
lifestyles determined by, and themselves determining the historic environments.
This is our heritage that we need to safeguard as if family silver to be passed on to
future generations to maintain our distinctive identity.
Type of Tangible Heritage:
Pakistan’s heritage is among the country’s best kept secrets. The country has
several World Heritage sites as well as countless sites of national and local
importance.
For ease of safeguarding, tangible heritage of Pakistan is considered in the following
categories:
a. Archaeological sites
b. Historic Monuments
c. Urban Historic architecture
The Antiquities Act of the Federal Government provides protection to archaeological
sites and historic monuments, however, urban historic architecture in most cities
remains largely un-catalogued and unprotected.
Through the efforts of Heritage Foundation the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation)
Act 1994 was promulgated by the Sindh Assembly. Through the heritage act, almost
600 heritage sites of Karachi, catalogued and published by the Foundation were
provided protection. This is the largest number of protected heritage sites in any
province of Pakistan. However, most of the historic towns in Sindh are in the process
of losing the valuable heritage.
Under the Punjab Premises Act, a few dozens historic buildings have been provided
protection in the entire province. The walled cities have suffered a great deal of
degradation and loss of the historic environment. The recent proposal of Punjab
Government at the revitalization of the Shahi Guzargah in the Walled City, originally
identified by Yasmeen Lari in her Lahore Heritage Guide, is likely to bring the value

4. of heritage for economic regeneration into sharp focus and it is hoped that it will be
instrumental in revitalizing of other historic towns and districts.
Although Peshawar walled city is among the most exciting traditional environments,
because of lack of protection, the city as well as other historic cities in the Frontier
are in grave danger of losing their valuable heritage. The recent steps by the NWFP
government, taken under the direction of Additional Chief Secretary, in establishing a
Heritage Fund and the Documentation Centres as proposed by Yasmeen Lari, are
likely to initiate a process of cataloguing and protection through participation of the
private sector.
There is no protection to historic environments of Balochistan and its historic
architecture is extremely vulnerable.
Archaeological Sites:
National Monument In Islamabad
Pakistan possesses remains of several ancient civilizations. The most famous is
Indus Valley Civilization which dates to 3,000 BC. However, due to investigations in
Balochistan the remains of Mehergarh have stretched the antiquity even further back
in time to 5,000 BC. The most famous sites of Indus Valley Civilization are Moenjoaro
(Sindh) and Harrappa (Punjab).
The other famous ancient sites are evidence of Buddhist civilization that flourished in
this land. There are several of them and are found in the northern part of Pakistan.
They are situated in Taxila (Punjab) and Takht-e- Bahi (NWFP).
Most archaeological sites are protected under the Federal Antiquities Act.
Historic Monuments:
The historic monuments are standing monuments or ruins which are found all over
Pakistan. They represent various periods of our history and demonstrate the rich
cultural milieu of the land. Thus, we can find historic Hindu temples in Tharparkar
(Sindh) and Punjab, Sultanante period monuments in Makli Tombs, Thatta, in Multan
and Ucch Sharif, and Mughal monuments in Thatta, Multan, Lahore etc. Many

5. monuments are protected under the Federal Antiquities Act; however, there are
thousands of others which still need to be provided protection.
Urban Historic Cores
There are many historic urban areas that are found in various provinces. Most of
them had been constructed as walled cities e.g. Peshawar, Multan, Lahore etc.
Although the walls have long since disappeared, the special urban morphology
continues to provide them with a special character. Although there has been a lot of
destruction in the past years, many of the historic structures continue to endow them
with a special flavour. Unfortunately, due to lack of protection, we continue to lose a
large number of valuable historic structures. There is an urgent need to provide
protection to them in order to save the special flavour that the historic urban cores
possess.
Most cities of Pakistan have a shared legacy with Britain. This shared legacy is
equally important for the growing urban centres of Pakistan. The British built centres
are now part of the Central Business Districts of major cities, gifting them with a
special flavour. Except for Karachi, where over 600 buildings identified and published
by Heritage Foundation, have been provided protection under the Sindh Cultural
Heritage (Preservation) Act 1994, and Lahore where over 3 dozen historic buildings
have bene provided protection under the Punjab Premises Act, historic structures in
most cities are gravely threatened. As part of growing metropolis, the compulsions for
modernity is destroying valuable heritage.

6. Faisal Mosque In Islamabad

7. Badshahi Mosque In Lahore
Residency Of Quaid-e-Azam In Ziyarat