Spreading over an area of almost seven acres (2.8 hectares) and about a hundred feet (30 metres) above the Zero Point at the western viewpoint of the Shakarparian Hills, there lies the Pakistan Monument. Because of its ideal location it can be seen from all the vantage points in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The Pakistan Monument comprises four symbolic petals representing the people of Pakistan standing united, shoulder to shoulder, shielding the crescent and star that lies within. The concept behind the national monument expresses its simplicity and strength, relaying the vision of safeguarding the Motherland. The inner walls of the petals are decorated with murals and artworks. Opposite the monument’s main plaza is the building of the Pakistan Monument Museum (PMM) designed and built in a manner that its architectural form and height shies from overshadowing the Monument’s main structure.
The theme of the PMM is based upon the creation and that makes it different from other two museums, which are located within the close vicinity i.e. the Heritage and Natural History Museums. The Pakistan Monument project was conceived by the Ministry of Culture and Lok Virsa five years ago. It was inaugurated by the then Culture Minister Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani on November, 2010. But after the devolution of the Culture Ministry, the affairs of the Pakistan Monument were handed over the Capital Development Authority (CDA) while the Pakistan Monument Museum became a part of Lok Virsa’s jurisdiction.
Lok Virsa Director Asif Javed Shahjahan who is also the creative director of the museum told Pakistan Today that this museum has two major portions—one depicts the history of ancient civilizations, history of the areas now called Pakistan from Vedic period to up to 1947 and the other portion depicts the birth, socio-political history, society, culture, advancement and achievements of Pakistan from 1947 till date. Asif said that the museum narrates the story of Pakistan in a historical perspective to visitors from near and far and that it will keep telling the stories to generations to come.
Talking about the entry ticket, Asif Javed Shahjahan said that children under 7 can visit the facility for free but for students and other general public the entry rates are nominal i.e. Rs 10 and Rs 25 respectively. He said the foreigners, however, are charged Rs 250 for each person. While having a stroll through the corridors of PMM, this scribe saw some magnificent creative works and interior, relics, installations, and flawless mannequins of historical figures that can make some visitors believe that they are seeing the real person.
Different sections of the PMM highlight Iqbal’s concept of a Muslim state in South Asia, Quaid-e-Azam’s efforts and struggle for Pakistan’s independence and as to how Pakistan stood at present as a forward-looking developing state in the world. There are a number of sections in the museum housing ‘Achievements of Pakistan’ and ‘History of Pakistan’ in the form of art pieces. “Educational activities for children, the birth of Pakistan, the impact of Islam, population and habitat, oral tradition and literacy, society and advancement, science and technology, future vision and aspirations, display techniques and crafts are on display in the PMM.
The museum has the public facilities in order to make it a focal point for research on Pakistani society and culture. It includes ‘Monument Museum Library and Documentation Centre’, ‘Voices of the people in Audio Visual Archive’, and ‘Media Centre’. PMM is indeed a modern museum that employs state-of-the art technology and display techniques for presentation. This museum also features a prime educational facility for children of all ages where visitors can take interact with three dimensional exhibits, virtual constructs and cyber-age innovations.
The Pakistan Monument has a layout and it exhibits themes to re-enforce the image of the museum, which is the birth of Pakistan and a dream and its realisation about the making of a nation. There is a gallery dedicated to Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The other sections tell us about the history and its continuity— from the ancient Vedic civilization of the Indus Valley to the Arab conquest of Sindh which was followed by successive migrations of Muslims from Central Asia and the country’s history since independence. Major advancement in Industrial, nuclear and defence technology are also highlighted in a section meant for science and technology, education, discovery and invention.
Then there is another section highlighting the services rendered by great heroes of Pakistan. One can’t miss, at the end of one’s visit, a huge multi-screen sign titled: “The Land of Many Splendours.” “Islamabad did not have any monument such as the Quaid’s Mausoleum in Karachi, or Allama Iqbal’s tomb or Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore so this monument is surely a welcome addition to the city’s landscape,” said Hamza Khan, a visitor. He said Shakarparian Hills used to be the oldest picnic spot in Islamabad that it was losing its charm. “Since Damn-e-Koh is not accessible for general public so this is the best spot, I think,” he added.
“The creative work inside museum attracts me a lot. The mannequins of Iqbal— in Cordoba Mosque, his address in Allahabad, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Mountbatten, and Nehro’s mannequin, Gandhi-Jinnah Talks in 1944, Quaid’s address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan in 1947, Quaid as a lawyer along with his sister Fatima Jinnah—all are great to watch,” said a young visitor, Hafsa Khawaja.
