PM Imran wants to make Bala Hisar Fort a tourist spot

[ghazi52]

PM Imran wants to make Bala Hisar Fort a tourist spot

February 5, 2019

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Bala Hisar Fort should be converted into a centre for tourist activities.

“Arrangement for the commercial use of 800 and 157 rest houses in Punjab and K-P, respectively, should be finalised,” Premier Imran said chairing a meeting of Tourism Task Force the PM Office on Monday according to an official statement.

He also approved reorganisation of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC).

The meeting approved the formation of a 25 member National Tourism Coordination Board for the promotion of tourism in the country.

The decision was aimed at promoting tourism, enhancing coordination between federation and provinces, formulating provincial regulatory framework, and highlighting other objectives including the promotion of country’s tourism at international level.

He was also briefed about the progress on making Bala Hisar Fort in Peshawar as a tourism site.

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Bala Hisar Fort

The fort of Bala Hissar was built by Babar in 1526-30, with the decline of the Mughals it passed to the local Afghan Durrani chieftains and became their state residence. It was destroyed by the Sikhs after the Battle of Nowshera in 1823 and rebuilt by them under the direction of French engineers in the 1830s.

 

[ghazi52]

Bala Hissar is a historic fortress located in Peshawar. The fort was used as a royal residence for the Durrani Empire, and was renovated during Sikh rule. The fort now serves as headquarters for Pakistan's Frontier Corps, and cannot be entered by civilians.
The word Bala Hissar is from Dari Persian, meaning, "elevated or high fort". The name was given by the Afghan Pashtun King Timur Shah Durrani (1773–1793), who used the fort as the winter capital of the Durrani Empire.

The imposing Bala Hisar Fort and its bleak ramparts still appear to monitor movement along the Grand Trunk Rd. Babur first built a fort here in 1526 after capturing Peshawar. It was a royal residence for the Afghan Durrani dynasty before being captured, trashed, and in 1834, rebuilt in mud by the Sikhs (replaced by brick by the British). It's now the headquarters of the Frontier Corps. Access inside is limited, but there's a small museum and great views over the city from the ramparts.

The fort stands on a high mound in the northwestern corner of Peshawar City. The fort's position on a high mound gives a commanding and panoramic view of Peshawar and the entire Peshawar valley. On a clear day, one can see the mountains encircling Peshawar valley and beyond. The area covered by the inner wall of the fort is about 10 acres (40,000 m2) and the outer wall is about 15 acres (61,000 m2). The height of the fort is about 90 feet (27 m) above ground level.

1926

1907

1850 ... hand sketch showing Bala Hisar fort and elephants in Peshawar..

 

[313ghazi]

Wow, i need to travel in Pakistan! What a site.

 

[ghazi52]

FC Yadgar Monument at Bala Hisar Fort

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

Bala Hissar is a historic fortress located in Peshawar. The fort was used as a royal residence for the Durrani Empire, and was renovated during Sikh rule. The fort now serves as headquarters for Pakistan's Frontier Corps, and cannot be entered by civilians.
The word Bala Hissar is from Dari Persian, meaning, "elevated or high fort". The name was given by the Afghan Pashtun King Timur Shah Durrani (1773–1793), who used the fort as the winter capital of the Durrani Empire.

The imposing Bala Hisar Fort and its bleak ramparts still appear to monitor movement along the Grand Trunk Rd. Babur first built a fort here in 1526 after capturing Peshawar. It was a royal residence for the Afghan Durrani dynasty before being captured, trashed, and in 1834, rebuilt in mud by the Sikhs (replaced by brick by the British). It's now the headquarters of the Frontier Corps. Access inside is limited, but there's a small museum and great views over the city from the ramparts.

The fort stands on a high mound in the northwestern corner of Peshawar City. The fort's position on a high mound gives a commanding and panoramic view of Peshawar and the entire Peshawar valley. On a clear day, one can see the mountains encircling Peshawar valley and beyond. The area covered by the inner wall of the fort is about 10 acres (40,000 m2) and the outer wall is about 15 acres (61,000 m2). The height of the fort is about 90 feet (27 m) above ground level.

1926

1907

1850 ... hand sketch showing Bala Hisar fort and elephants in Peshawar..

I object, our people arent ready to be awarded things like these. They have become uncivilized under the corrupt governments, a shame for our ancestors. They would die if they looked at what we have become, uncivilized animals. Fix the people first, or they will destroy places like these!

 

[Maxpane]

wow historical beauty

 

[ghazi52]

Fort Bala Hisar

Bala Hisar is one of the most historic places of Peshawar. The words are of Persian origin meaning, "elevated or high fort". According to Dr. Hussain Khan, the name was given by the Afghan King Taimur Shah Durrani (1773-1793). The Sikhs named it Samir Garh in 1834 but the name did not become popular. The fort stands on a high mound in the northwestern corner of Peshawar City. Not long ago the fort used to be conspicuously away from the old city of Peshawar but now the construction of new buildings has covered space between the old city and the fort. However the fort being high, gives a commanding and panoramic view of Peshawar and the entire Peshawar valley. On a clear day, one can see the mountains encircling Peshawar valley and beyond. The area covered by the inner wall of the fort is about 10 acres and the outer wall is about 15 acres. The height of the fort is about 90 feet above ground level.


Origins & Early History

It is surprising to note that no one is clear about the origin of the fort and many believe that the fort was built by the Mughals. This wrong concept about the origin of this fort has adopted because of the fact that only the Moghuls maintained diaries and mentioned about it. Babar, who was very meticulous, never said that he built Bala Hisar. In actual fact the fort is as old as the city itself. It will be seen that the main entrance of the fort directly faces the ancient Route to India [Peshawar Charsadda (Pushkalavati) route]. The same route is further extended to the historic city of Shahbaz Garhi (Po-lo-Sha or Varshapura) and onwards to Hund (Udabhandpura). This shows that fort must be at least about 2000 to 2500 years old and must have been the residence of the city chief of those days.

Renowned historian Dr. Ahmad Hasan Dani in his book "Peshawar - Historic City of Frontier" writes that when Hiuen Tsang visited Peshawar (630 AD), he speaks of a royal residence. He says that the Chinese words Kung Shing used for it is significant and is explained as fortified or walled portion of the town in which the royal palace stood. Hiuen Tsang then makes a separate mention of the city which was not fortified. This shows that the royal residence formed the nucleus of a Citadel, which must have been further protected by a moat. Dr. Dani further says that channel of old Bara river surrounded a high spot which includes the Bala Hisar and Andar Shahr. The higher area could have been Citadel which is the present Bala Hisar.


Under the Ghaznavids

Peshawar has always remained a strategic city and its capture was of great importance for the invaders. When Subuktagin captured Peshawar in 988 AD he garrisoned 10,000 horses there. Due to the concept of having a citadel dominating the city nearby, it is easy to infer that Subuktagin's garrison must have been in the Bala Hisar Fort, by whichever name it existed then. Mahmud of Ghazni had defeated Hindu Rajas Jaipal and Anandpal in 100 AD and 1006 AD respectively near Peshawar. The Raja's forces must have sought strength and protection from the citadel of Peshawar, which was also protected by the surrounding channel of Bara River. Seeing the importance of the city, Mohammad Ghauri also took Peshawar in 1179 AD.


Under the Mughals

Babar's Visits to Bagram: The great founder Mughal Emperor, Zahir ud Din Babar has frequently mentioned about the fort of Bala Hisar in his memories. He talks of this dismounting near Bigrarn (or Begrarn, old Peshawar) and then going out for hunting. He had also visited the great tree the Pipal Mandi area, which Hiuen Tsang had seen, having four sitting figures of Buddha underneath. Babar left the fort in the charge of Shah Mir Hussain before his onward march into India.



Under Emperor Humayun:

When Mughal Emperor Humayun was overthrown by the great Afghan King Sher Shah Suri, the Afghan destroyed Fort Bala Hisar also. While going to Kabul, Humayun however stayed at Peshawar and rebuilt Bala Hisar. Record of this event by Abul Fazal is quoted by Major Naimat in his article on Bala Hisar.

"After the overthrow of Emperor Humayun, by Sher Shah Suri, Afghans destroyed the fort of Begram (Peshawar). When Humayun was staying in the fort, he decided to rebuild it and garrison it and then proceed to Kabul. He wanted to use the fort for his conquest of India at a later stage. After returning from Persia he made use of the fort".



Under the Durranis

The Royal Residence: Ahmad Shah Durrani captured the fort from Moghuls and made it a residential palace.

Taimur Shah Durrani, the son of Ahmad Shah Durrani had made Peshawar his winter capital. While at Peshawar, his royal residence used to be in Bala Hisar Fort. However no buildings or structures of his days exist in the present fort. Taimur Shah kept a bodyguard of "Gholami Shahis" consisting of Persians and Tajiks for protection. In 1779, when a Khalil Chief Faizullah Khan forced his entry into Bala Hisar, the King was saved by the same bodyguards.


Under the Sikhs

After the death of Taimur Shah Durrani in 1793, AD Shah Zaman became the King. However the Durrani rule weakened and the Sikhs rose to power in the Punjab. After the battle of Nowshera, the Sikhs captured Peshawar including Bala Hisar in 1834. At the time the fort was in a bad shape. Some accounts however indicate that the Sikhs first destroyed Bala Hisar but later realized its importance for protection and had to rebuild it. Either Hari Singh Nalwa or Sardar Khurruck Singh are said to have rebuilt the fort. However according to Raverty, Sher Singh, on the orders of his father Ranjeet Singh, erected the fort with unburnt bricks. Sardar Tej Singh and General Evitable (1838-42) also stayed in Bala Hisar as Governors. While entering the main courtyard of the fort, a Sikh period inscription in marble can be seen on an arch gate. This is the only mark or inscription available today in Bala Hisar.

Under the British

After the downfall of the Sikhs, Punjab was annexed by the British in 1849 and naturally Peshawar valley also became part of British India. At that time Bala Hisar had mud walls and was not very strong. The British replaced the whole structure with bricks and the present shape was given to Bala Hisar. Almost all the barracks that exist today were made by the British.

The British used to keep the troops in Bala Hisar till the cantonment was laid out. When the Afridi tribesmen launched an attack on the city in 1930, they fired guns from Bala Hisar Fort to stop Tribesmen from entering the city.


Present

A small museum has also been opened inside the fort which displays the weapons, dresses and other historical photographs etc related to the Frontier Corps. However, for entry to the fort, prior permission must be obtained.

 

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

Beautiful share. Thanks for all the nice threads on PDF. Keep it up.

 

[S.Y.A]

I object, our people arent ready to be awarded things like these. They have become uncivilized under the corrupt governments, a shame for our ancestors. They would die if they looked at what we have become, uncivilized animals. Fix the people first, or they will destroy places like these!

just properly police them and nothing will happen

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

just properly police them and nothing will happen

Police are from the same people, unfortunately

 

[S.Y.A]

Police are from the same people, unfortunately

I mean monitor them while inside the fort. Post guards etc.

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

I mean monitor them while inside the fort. Post guards etc.

Ya i know it can be done. I'm just being harsh on the people, to get their shiz together.

 

[El Sidd]

handsome decision

#JaiImranJai

 

[Fawadqasim1]

Bala hisar is at least 2500 years old wrong history.

 

[H!TchHiker]

Good decision ..