Attock Fort

Location

It is sandwiched between Peshawar Road on one side and the River Indus on the other. It is located at a distance of 80km from the capital city of Islamabad. As it is a military base, visitors are not allowed inside the fort.

History

The fort was constructed in 1581 on the orders of the Mughal emperor Akbar. Construction was completed in two years after which the fort was used as a key defense line against the Afghan invaders. The fort was captured in 1758 by the Marathas under Tukojirao Holkar and Sabaji Shinde Sidhojiraje. Ahmad Shah, the Durrani ruler, captured Attock and halted the Maratha advance in the north after the battle of Panipat in 1761. It was later conquered from the Afghans by the Sikh Empire under Mokham Chand following the battle of Attock in 1813. In the 1830s, the Sikhs strengthened the fort by constructing 'very high and massy bastions' at each gate. The British took over the fort in 1849, following the annexation of Punjab. After the Partition of India, Pakistan Army took control of the fort. It became headquarters of the 7th division of Pakistan Army. In 1956, the fort was handed over to the Special Services Group (SSG), a special operations force of the Pak Army. Today the fort remains in control of the SSG.

Architecture

The fort consists of 6 gates and the perimeter of its walls is 1600 metres. The gates are named the Delhi Gate, Lahori Gate, Kabuli Gate, Aabi (water) Gate, Mallahitola Gate and Mori Gate. The fort has 8 bastions, all circular except one which is rectangular. The fort is divided into an upper part for soldiers and a lower part, for common people. There is also a Turkish bath near the Delhi gate. Indus River runs along northwestern walls of the fort. Begum Ki Sarai, a Mughal era caravanserai, is located just besides the fort.

References

References

1. "ATTOCK FORT".
2. Pervaiz Munir Alvi. (24 January 2007). "When Kabul comes to Attock". [[All Things Pakistan]].
3. Nalwa, V.. (2009). "Hari Singh Nalwa—Champion of the Khalsaji". Manohar.
4. (15 November 2014). "A close look on the history of Attock Fort Pakistan with pics".
5. (17 February 2019). "Facts About Attock Fort".
6. (2005). "Historical Forts in Pakistan". National Institute of Historical & Cultural Research Centre of Excellence, [[Quaid-i-Azam University]].