Fort Munro (

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...

: ), formerly known as Muree of south Punjab, Loilaresir, and Anari Mool in Balochi language, is a

hill station A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia (particularly in India), but also in Africa (albeit rarely), for towns founded by European colonialists as refuges ...

which is located at a height of above sea level in D. G Khan District,

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

. It was developed by British in the late 19th-century as a summer hill town. Named after commissioner Multan division Colonel (later Major-General) Munro. It attracts many people for short stays during the hot summer. It is around 85 kilometres from Dera Ghazi Khan city,

and about 185 kilometres from

Multan Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab. Multan is one of the List ...

in Sulaiman Mountain range. The people of Fort Munro are nomads, especially of the Leghari tribe. Fort Munro's altitude is 1800 meters. It can be reached either from

Loralai Loralai ( ps, لورلايي, ur, ), also known as Bori ( ps, ), is the division headquarter of Loralai Division and district headquarter of Loralai District. It is in the northeast of Balochistan province in Pakistan. It is above sea level ...

Balochistan Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...

or from

(Punjab). From Punjab, the mountain range starts near Rakhni, which is a border-post between Balochistan and Punjab.

History

Previously, it was known as Loilaresir before British established the area. The town was founded by Sir

Robert Groves Sandeman Sir Robert Groves Sandeman, KCSI (1835–1892) was a British Indian Army officer and colonial administrator. He was known for his activities in Balochistan, where he introduced a system of "tribal pacification" that endured until the partition ...

in the later part of the 19th century and named Fort Munro after Colonel, later Major-General, Andrew Aldcorn Munro who was commissioner of the

Derajat Division Derajat ( Punjabi/Urdu: ), the plural of the word 'dera', is a cultural region of central Pakistan, located in the region where the provinces of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan meet. Derajat is bound by the Indus River to the east, and ...

and

Multan Division Multan Division is an administrative division of Punjab Province, Pakistan. The reforms of 2000 abolished the third tier of government but the division system was restored again in 2008. Districts It consists of the following districts: Histo ...

. Fort Munro was headquarters of commisioner of Multan in hot season during British period. Sandeman Lodge, a colonial residence of

political assistant The Political Appointments System is a scheme introduced in 2008 by the Hong Kong Government to reinforce its ministerial team by superseding the Principal Officials Accountability System and inserting two layers of politically appointed offic ...

(PA), the Commissioner House and DCO House were established at the hill to be used as a summer residence. A small

Christian cemetery A Christian burial is the burial of a deceased person with specifically Christian rites; typically, in consecrated ground. Until recent times Christians generally objected to cremation because it interfered with the concept of the resurrection of ...

is also located near DCO House.

Geography and climate

Fort Munro is part of the Sulaiman Mountain range. The range is located in central Pakistan, extending southward about 280 miles (450 km) from the

Gumal Pass Gomal Pass ( ps, ګومل) is a mountain pass on the Durand Line border between Afghanistan and the southeastern portion of South Waziristan in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It takes its name from the Gomal River and is midw ...

to just north of

Jacobabad Jacobabad ( ur, and sd, جيڪب آباد; formerly Khanger or Khangarh) is a city in Sindh, Pakistan, serving as both the capital city of Jacobabad District and the administrative center of Jacobabad Taluka, an administrative subdivision ...

, separating the

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...

and

from

. Its heights gradually decrease toward the south, with summits averaging 6,000–7,000 feet, the highest being the twin peaks (30 miles from the Gumal Pass) called Takht-i Sulaiman, or Solomon's Throne, which legend connects with King Solomon's visit to Pakistan; the higher of the peaks, at 18,481 feet (5,633 m), is the site of a Muslim Ziyarat (shrine) visited annually by many pilgrims. The range's eastern face dips steeply to the Indus River, but on the west the range declines more gradually. Juniper and edible pines abound in the north and olives in the centre, but vegetation is scarce in the south. The Ghat, Zao, Chuhar Khel Dhana, and Sakhi Sarwar are the principal passes in the north. In the south, west of Dera Ghazi Khan, lies the hill station of Fort Munro.

Tourism

It attracts a number of tourists every year, particularly those who wish to escape from hot plains of southern Punjab to enjoy mild and pleasant weather for a day or two. The

Government has released over Rs2 billion in July 2015 for the provision of basic facilities at the hill station in a bid to make it an important tourist haven. Out of the funds, Rs750 million would be spent on the installation of the chairlift and cable car facility between Fort Munro and Khar, Rs300 million on the provision of clean drinking water, Rs300 million on a wastewater treatment and drainage scheme, Rs1.60 billion on the construction of six new carpeted roads and a cadet college. Additionally, state-of-the-art landscaping initiatives and the cultivation of cut flowers would also promote development in the region and open new avenues of employment. The Forest Department would afforest 300 acres in the hill station’s vicinity. The Irrigation Department is also believed to have forwarded a proposal regarding the construction of six small dams in Fort Munro’s vicinity. The development project, which is expected to kick off soon, to attract people from surrounding areas being the only hill station of southern Punjab in Dera Ghazi Khan district. Fort Munro is a cool resort in summers for the people living in south Punjab. Many ill people come here for refreshment or convalescence.

References

{{Castles in Pakistan Dera Ghazi Khan District Hill stations in Pakistan Tourist attractions in Punjab, Pakistan

History

Geography and climate

Tourism

See also

References