Field guides / Punjab / Minar-e-Pakistan
Field guide · Heritage
Minar-e-Pakistan
Pakistan's national monument in Lahore's Greater Iqbal Park, a 70-metre minaret completed in 1968 on the exact spot where the 1940 Lahore Resolution was passed, with views toward the Badshahi Mosque from its viewing gallery.
Pakistan's national monument rises 70 metres over Lahore's Greater Iqbal Park, its flower-like tiered base blending Mughal, Islamic, and modern design. Construction ran from 1960 to 1968 to a design by architect Nasreddin Murat-Khan, marking the exact spot where the All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution on 23 March 1940, the political moment cited for Pakistan's creation.
Why go
- ✦70-metre minaret completed in 1968
- ✦Marks the site of the 1940 Lahore Resolution
- ✦Elevator to a viewing gallery
- ✦Set inside the large Greater Iqbal Park
The Lahore Resolution
On 23 March 1940, the All-India Muslim League passed the resolution here that called for independent states for Muslims in South Asia, later cited as the political foundation for Pakistan's creation in 1947. The monument's base carries the resolution's text in Urdu, Bengali, and English.
Design and Construction
Architect Nasreddin Murat-Khan combined a flower-shaped platform with a single tapering minaret, mixing Mughal, Islamic, and modern motifs. Construction spanned 1960 to 1968, funded partly by public donation.
Visiting with Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque
The monument sits inside Greater Iqbal Park, within easy walking distance of the walled city's main Mughal sites, making it a natural add-on to a half-day Lahore heritage walk.
Planning tip
When to go, Year-round; evenings are cooler and the monument is lit at night. Visit around 23 March for Pakistan Resolution Day events.
Getting there, Inside Greater Iqbal Park, a short walk or rickshaw ride from Badshahi Mosque and Lahore Fort in the walled city.
Allow, 45 minutes to an hour, longer if combined with the rest of the park.
