ROHTAS QILA – STANDING HIGH SINCE 1541

Rohtas Qila

Another magnificent structure from the Mughal era that still stands is the Rohtas fort, or Qila-e-Rohtas, as it is also known.

The fort was ordered to be built in 1541 by Sher Sha Suri after he defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun. Sher Sha Suri built the fort at the strategic location of Rohtas. The fort lies on the Grand Trunk Road between the mountainous region of Afghanistan and the plains of Punjab near modern day Jhelum.

One of the more impressive facts about this fort is that the fort was never taken by force (i.e. was never stormed) and survives intact till today. The fort has massive walls that run for more than 4 kilometers. These walls are the main fortification of the fort. The walls have multiple bastions and monumental gateways.

The Qila-e-Rohtas is a prime exponent of early Muslim military architecture coming out of Central and South Asia. This fort is nothing short of majestic and surpasses various citadels of that time in splendor and size. It is in fact the only architectural example from the time of Sher Sha Suri that has survived till date.

Rohtas Over The Centuries:

The fort was envisioned by Sher Sha Suri after he had defeated Humayun at Chausa. There was a dual purpose to the fort:

• To curtail the hostilities from the locals called the Potohars
• To serve as a precaution against Humayun whose return was inevitable.

The fort was however taken by Humayun 10 years after the death of Sher Sha Suri without a fight. The conqueror was Tatar Khan Kasi.

The fort remained under the control of the Mughals till the time of Aurangazeb. Following that period the fort changed hands between the Durrani’s and the Sikh’s. During this time however, the fort did not serve its actual purpose and ended up with a village within its walls.

Inside The Majestic Fort:

Because of the intended purpose of the building, there were not many structures that were built within the walls of the fort. Most of the area was used for the production of food for the garrison.

The few structures that were made within the walls included a Shahi Masjid situated near the Kabuli gate of the fort. The Masjid is not very large and has a prayer hall and a small courtyard.

The fort also has its own water supply. The water supply came from structures called Baolis (stepped wells). There were three of these which were carved into the limestone bedrock.

Overall the Rohtas fort is an amazing construction and a magnificent place to visit and a must-visit location for all history buffs.

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SWAT ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM INAUGURATED

Swat Archaeological Museum

After a gap of about seven years, scores of people made their way to the newly-reconstructed Swat Archaeological Museum on Thursday after it was reopened for the public a day earlier.

The visitors were excited to not only see a massive collection of artefacts from the Gandhara civilization but also the building’s state-of-the-art design.

“This new building is so spacious and wide that one feels a great delight in walking among ancient civilizations. It is truly an enjoyable experience,” said Gulranga Ali, a student of University of Swat visiting the museum with her classmates.

The museum has been designed by Italian architects Ivano Marati and Candida Vassallo, and set up in collaboration with an Italian engineer along with engineers from UET Peshawar.

Sumera, a university lecturer said, “I had always wanted to arrange a tour for my students but couldn’t because the museum was closed. When we heard it was reopened, I arranged a visit immediately.” She added the museum tour was a good opportunity for students to learn about the area’s history by taking in the historical wonders of the region.

Inauguration

The Swat Archaeological Museum was inaugurated by Adviser to the Chief Minister on Tourism, Archaeology and Museums Amjad Khan Afridi along with Italian Ambassador Adriano Chiodi Cianfarani on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Cianfarani said, “The presence of Italian archaeological missions in Pakistan dates back to 1955 when they started work under the guidance of Professor Giuseppe Tucci. During its nearly 60 years here, the Italian mission obtained great results.” Cianfarani added Pakistan boasts of a rich historical heritage that needs to be known and understood within the country and abroad.

The CM’s adviser thanked the Italian government and Italian Archaeological Mission for reconstructing the Swat museum. “Opening it for the public is a huge achievement and will contribute to the revival of tourism in Swat,” said Afridi.

He added the provincial government understands the importance of archaeology and the role it can play in promoting tourism and boosting the economy. “We have been working to promote religious and cultural tourism in K-P because 30% of the country’s archaeological sites are in the province,” said Afridi.

The Swat Archaeological Museum was reconstructed at an estimated cost of $700,000 under a project funded by the Pakistan-Italian Debt Swap Agreement and implemented by the Archaeology Community Tourism – Field School Project.

The museum has been designed by Italian architects Ivano Marati and Candida Vassallo, and set up in collaboration with an engineer from the University of Naples Federico II and engineers from the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar.

“Originally constructed with Italian contribution between 1956 and 1963, the old building was considered to be at risk of partial collapse when a static analysis was conducted,” Director of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan, Dr Luca Maria Olivieri told.

He added a part of the building was demolished while another was improved and included in the new construction. According to Olivieri, the new museum was designed as per anti-seismic principles, making it the most structurally advanced building in Pakistan.

Local art associations have welcomed the restoration. “A museum is an institution where people learn and see an area’s history and understand its cultural heritage,” said Suvastu Arts and Culture Association Chairman Usman Ulasyar. “It is a great attraction for locals as well as tourists. We are thankful to the Italians for reconstructing it for us.”

K-P Archaeology Director Dr Abdul Samad told that the museum is one of the best in the country and houses a large number of artifacts from the Ghandhara civilization. “The opening of the museum will boost economy as more and more tourists will visit Swat,” he added.

PAKISTAN’S FIRST HELICOPTER TOUR SERVICE LAUNCHED IN KARACHI

Karachi: Princely Jets, the country’s only private jet and helicopter Charter Company, launched a ‘City Helicopter Tour’ service here on Tuesday.

This is the first of its kind service in the country where the general public has been given the option to enjoy a panoramic view of Karachi via helicopter.

Sharing the details of the service, CEO Princely Jets Ghouse Akbar said now people could enjoy a helicopter ride for only Rs 25,000. This is a common feature of tourism-related services offered in the developed world. All major metropolitan cities of the world including London, Paris, New York and Dubai etc offer such a service to domestic and foreign tourists.

Through this initiative, Princely Jets wants to promote domestic tourism as well as a soft image of the country to the foreign world as chartered helicopters and chartered planes are commonly used in the developed world for business as well as leisure purposes. Ghouse informed that the helicopter ride would follow a well-defined route through which tourists would be able to witness memorable panoramic view of all the major sites of the city.

Princely Jets offers customers the opportunity to see the city of Karachi and the surrounding area in a whole new way – from the skies.

Ghouse added that “Princely Jets experiences are designed to be something you will remember for the rest of your life. We design each tour with the goal that guests will be talking about the memories of this helicopter tour in the years to come”.