A new renovated track on Kharpocho Fort was inaugurated by Mr. Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan.
The following video was released by the District Administration, Skardu, Baltistan Divisional Administration.
The video shows images from the inauguration and it also includes a few mesmerizing photographs of the Kharpocho Fort with the newly developed track.
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The historic Kharpocho Fort, also known as the Royal Fort, was established in 14th century AD by Maqpoon ruler Bokha Khan at a smaller scale. It was changed into a huge complex of a nine storey palace and fort by Ali Sher Khan Anchan somewhere between the years 1580-1590.
The fort speaks volumes about the great conquerer. It has been termed as the Gibraltar of East by some western writers. It remained unconquered till introduction of the modern arms and artillery.
Ghazi Rakin Gul, the Chitrali soldier who in his youth became the first person to unfurl the Pakistani flag at the Kharpocho fort in 1948 thereby declaring the independence of Skardu from nearly a century of Dogra rule. pic.twitter.com/2sEbVvVZKR
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The fort was center of attraction till arrival of Dogras in 1846. They razed the fort to the ground in 1857 under the command of Ranbir Singh in order to remove affiliation of people with the fort and the Maqpoon dynasty. The fort was retaken from the Dogras in 1948 during Baltistan’s war of independence.
In the lap of Kharpocho towards south east, lies Mindoq (flower) fort built by the Queen in remembrance of the king who was away on expedition to Chitral. Australian mountaineer and film maker Greg Child describes that the fort as “perched above the junction of the rivers” and “overlooks the Rock of Skardu”.
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The idea of fixing railings & lighting and reviving the track to the Fort was concieved by Mr. Shuja Alam, Commissioner Baltistan Divsion, and executed by Hafiz Karim Dad Chughtai, Deputy Commissioner Skardu. The track renovation project was sponsored by the KCBL and completed in July 2022 under the patronage of Chief Secretary Mr. Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani.