The Islamic Summit Minar at Charing Cross, Lahore, built to commemorate the historic 1974 summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has entered its first-ever restoration phase after more than five decades.
The Punjab government has included the monument in its cultural preservation policy, pledging to restore it to its original form as a symbol of Muslim unity and a milestone in Pakistan’s foreign policy history.
Punjab Secretary Tourism, Dr Ehsan Bhutta, visited the site with officials of the Communication and Works Department and the Department of Archaeology, who briefed him on the technical aspects of the project.
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Experts explained that the Summit Minar was constructed in memory of the 1974 OIC Summit hosted by former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The gathering brought together leaders and foreign ministers from 38 Muslim countries. It was regarded as a turning point in Muslim world politics, where the right of self-determination for Palestine was recognised internationally,
Yasser Arafat was acknowledged as the representative of the Palestinian people, and a collective direction for Islamic foreign policy was agreed upon.
Despite its historical significance, the monument has not undergone any formal conservation or restoration since its construction. Acting on the directives of Punjab Assembly Speaker and Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the government has now decided to restore it.
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The National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) has completed a detailed structural and sewerage study, which will serve as the basis for the final restoration design.
According to Dr Bhutta, the Minar is an architectural landmark with its six-sided pillar-like structure symbolising the unity and convergence of the Muslim world. A wide platform surrounds the monument, where the flags of participating countries were originally hoisted.
Its geometric motifs at the top reflect Islamic architectural traditions, while the blend of marble and concrete gave it both elegance and durability. Experts note that the symbolic structure was intentionally designed to depict the gathering of Muslim nations around a central axis of unity.
Dr Bhutta further added that, under the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and the supervision of Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the Summit Minar will be preserved in its original form so that future generations may recognise Pakistan’s pivotal role and the monument’s enduring symbolism of Muslim solidarity.
