Rohtas Fort

Location:

Rohtas Fort is a 16th-century Fortress located near the city of Jehlum in the province of Punjab,Pakistan.it lies 8 km south of the GT road and approximately 16 Km NW of jehlum.The Fort is about 300 feet above it’s surroundings.Fort is 2660 feet above sea level and covers an area of 12.63 acres.

Background:

The fort was commissioned by Sher Shah Suri,founder of the Sur Empire.It was designed to block the advances of Mughal empror Humayun.The Fort occupies a strategic position between the mountains of Afghanistan and the plains of Punjab.The Fort was also design to defeat the local Gakhar tribes of the Potohar region.These tribes refuses to recognize the position of the Sher Shah Suri.

History:

SUR-PERIOD:
The emperor Sher Shah Suri ordered to construct the Fort after his victory over the Mughal emperor Humayun.Construction of the fort began in 1541.Fort was made primarily as a defense against the Gakhars.
MUGHAL-PERIOD:
The fort was soon conquered by the Mughal emperor Humayun in 1555,after the local governer Tatar Khan Khasi,deserted the fort ahead for the advances of the Mughal’s Army.After the advancement in the fort by the emperor Akbar,Fort came to serve as capital of the Gakhar tribes,as they are loyal to the mughal crown.
POST-MUGHAL:
The fort remained in use during the mughal era,and was continuously used utill 1707.Although the fort was not popular with the mughal rulers as there are no large gardens and great architecture as in the other forts of Mughal’s era.In 1825,the Sikh forces captured the fort from Gakhars and thereafter it was used gor administive purpose by sikh ruler Ranjit Singh.

an ancient fort in pakistan

Gates of the Fort:
Sohail.
Shah Chandwali.
Kabuli.
Shishi
Langar Khani.
Talaqi.
Mori or Kashmiri.
Khwas Khani.
Gatali.
Tulla Mori.
Pippli.
Sar.

There are many decorative Features in the fort and the architecture is wonderful.All the remainings of the Fort of today attracts the tourist to see them and to research the history about them. Therefore many tourist visit there to see the residuals of the history.

Khewra Salt Mine

History:

It is Pakistan’s largest, the world’s 2nd largest and the oldest salt mine in the world. It is a major tourist attraction, drawing up to 250,000 visitors a year. Its history dates back to its discovery by Alexander’s troops in 320 BC, but it started trading in the  Mughal era.

Location:

The Khewra Salt Mine (or Mayo Salt Mine) is located in Khewra, north of Pind Dadan Khan, an administrative subdivision of Jehlum District, Punjab Region, Pakistan, which rises from the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Production and usage of salt :

Estimates of the total reserves of salt in the mines range from 82 million tons to 600 million tons. In raw form it contains negligible amounts of Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sulphates and moisture, with Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Chromium and Lead as trace elements.khewra’s salt is Pakistan’s best known rock salt. It is used for cooking, as bath salt, as brine and as a raw material for many industries, including a soda ash plant set up by AkzoNobel in 1940. Salt from Khewra mine is also used to make decorative items like lamps, vases, ashtrays and statues, which are exported to the United States, India and many European countries.