Attock Fort
قلعہ اٹک
Part of the History of Pakistan
Attock, Punjab region
Attock Fort is located in Pakistan
Attock Fort
Attock Fort
Coordinates33°53′32″N 72°14′02″E / 33.892087°N 72.233988°E / 33.892087; 72.233988
Site information
Websitewww.attockonians.com
Site history
Built1583 (1583)
Battles/warsBattle of Attock

Attock Fort (Urdu: قلعہ اٹک) was built at Attock Khurd during the reign of Akbar from 1581 to 1583 under the supervision of Khawaja Shamsuddin Khawafi to protect the passage of the River Indus.[1] Attock was briefly captured on 28 April 1758 by the Maratha Empire and became the northern boundary of the Maratha Empire. Ahmad Shah Durrani recaptured Attock and halted the Maratha advance in the north temporarily after the Third Battle of Panipat. It featured a prominent role in Afghan-Sikh Wars during the Battle of Attock.[1]

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 Afghan invaders. The fort was captured in 1758 by Raghunath Rao, Sabaji Shinde Sidhojiraje Ghatage-Desai-(Deshmukh) and Marathas. The fort was captured in 1812 by Sikhs and the British took over the fort later.[2] After the Partition of India, Pakistan Army took control of the fort.[3] It became headquarters of the 7th division of Pakistan Army.[3] In 1956, the fort was handed over to the Special Services Group (SSG), a special operations force of the Pak Army.[3] Today the fort remains in control of the SSG.[3]

Location

It is sandwiched between Peshawar Road on one side and the River Indus on the other.[4] It is located at a distance of 80km from the capital city of Islamabad. As its a military base, visitors are not allowed inside the fort.[1]

Features

The fort consists of 4 gates and its parameter wall is 1600m long. The gates are named the Delhi gate, Lahori Gate, Kabuli Gate and Mori Gate.[3]

Attock Fort
Overlooking the river

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Attock Fort.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "ATTOCK FORT". Emerging Pakistan. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  2. ↑ "A close look on the history of Attock Fort Pakistan with pics". Visit Pak. 15 November 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Facts About Attock Fort". Informative Facts. 17 February 2019.
  4. ↑ Pervaiz Munir Alvi (24 January 2007). "When Kabul comes to Attock". All Things Pakistan. Archived from the original on 12 February 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
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