Liaqat National Bagh (Park), usually just referred to as ''Liaqat Bagh'' (Urdu: لیاقت باغ), is a famous park on
Murree Road in the city of
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...
,
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 is close to
Arya Mohalla
Aryan or Arya (, Proto-Indo-Iranian language, Indo-Iranian *''arya'') is a term originally used as an ethnocultural self-designation by Indo-Iranians in ancient times, in contrast to the nearby outsiders known as 'non-Aryan' (*''an-arya''). ...
and
Government Gordon College
Government Gordon College, Rawalpindi is a government college in Rawalpindi, Pakistan that was established as a church school in 1893. The college is named after Andrew Gordon.(Muhammad AsifGordon College Rawalpindi: A victim of flawed policiesP ...
, which are two well known residential and commercial areas of Rawalpindi.
Two
Prime Ministers of Pakistan
The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , Roman Urdu, romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Cabinet of Pakistan, cabinet ...
, Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan and Benazir Bhutto, have been assassinated in this park.
On 1 March 2016, a mass gathering of people for the funeral prayer of
Mumtaz Qadri
Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri (1985 – 29 February 2016), better known as Mumtaz Qadri (, ur, ), was the assassin of Salmaan Taseer, Governor of Punjab. Qadri was a commando of the Elite Police and, at the time of the assassination, a member ...
, who assassinated
Punjab Governor Salman Taseer
Salman Taseer ( Punjabi and ur, ); ( 4 January 2011) was a Pakistani businessman and politician, who served as the 26th Governor of Punjab from 2008 until his assassination in 2011.
A member of the Pakistan Peoples Party since the 1980s, h ...
, was also seen here after Qadri's execution. This funeral prayer was attended by an estimated 100,000 people, the majority of whom were clerics and youth.
The park was formerly known as Company Bagh (East India Company's Garden), but was renamed "Liaqat National Bagh (Park)" after the assassination of
Liaquat Ali Khan
Liaquat Ali Khan ( ur, ; 1 October 1895 – 16 October 1951), also referred to in Pakistan as ''Quaid-e-Millat'' () or ''Shaheed-e-Millat'' ( ur, lit=Martyr of the Nation, label=none, ), was a Pakistani statesman, lawyer, political theoris ...
in 1951.
It is known as a place for political gatherings and for speeches.
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto ( ur, بینظیر بُھٹو; sd, بينظير ڀُٽو; Urdu ; 21 June 1953 – 27 December 2007) was a Pakistani politician who served as the 11th and 13th prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 t ...
was
assassinated
Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...
on 27 December 2007 while leaving an election rally at the park.
Many people do daily fitness exercises and jogging in this park. Also Liaquat National Bagh is filled with beautiful flowers and trees. In 20th century this park was a ground for wrestlers. Adjacent to Liaqat National Bagh there is a sports complex where squash courts, gym and karate club facilities are available.
See also
*
List of parks and gardens in Pakistan
This is a list of notable parks and gardens in Pakistan.
By type
Amusement parks
* Aladdin World, Karachi
* Aquafun Resort, Bahtar near Taxila
* Dino Valley Theme Park, Islamabad
* Go Aish, Karachi
* Japanese Park, Islamabad
* Jinnah Park, Rawal ...
.
References
{{coord, 33, 36, 22, N, 73, 3, 52, E, display=title
Parks in Pakistan
Rawalpindi District
Liaquat Ali Khan
Tourist attractions in Rawalpindi
Protected areas of Punjab, Pakistan