SHAKAR PARIAN | National Monument of Pakistan | COMPLETED

[Red aRRow]

Man this project rocks!!

[Stone Forever]

We are the suppliers of marble and granite for the "National Monument" project located at Shakarparian, Islamabad.

Both kinds of materials have been imported by us. The major quantity of marble used for this project is 'Crema Venato', having a creamy yellow base colour, supplied cut-to-size in brushed finish. The major quantity of granite used for this project is 'Maple Red', having a red/orange base colour, supplied cut-to-size in polished and flamed finishes.

The physical & chemical properties of both materials meet or exceed the international standards (ASTM) that have been set for marble and granite to be used as a building material.

There are two main structures in this project. One is the monument itself with the raised 'petals' (as you can see from the photos), and the other one opposite it is going to be used as a museum.

We have successfully completed supply of the imported cut-to-size marble and granite. The total delivered quantity of marble and granite is more than 100,000 sq.ft.

[Pho-sure]

Any rendering of this project?

[Aryan]

This is really looking good. Thanks for the updates techno!

[pakboy]

Originally Posted by Stone Forever

We are the suppliers of marble and granite for the "National Monument" project located at Shakarparian, Islamabad.

Both kinds of materials have been imported by us. The major quantity of marble used for this project is 'Crema Venato', having a creamy yellow base colour, supplied cut-to-size in brushed finish. The major quantity of granite used for this project is 'Maple Red', having a red/orange base colour, supplied cut-to-size in polished and flamed finishes.

The physical & chemical properties of both materials meet or exceed the international standards (ASTM) that have been set for marble and granite to be used as a building material.

There are two main structures in this project. One is the monument itself with the raised 'petals' (as you can see from the photos), and the other one opposite it is going to be used as a museum.

We have successfully completed supply of the imported cut-to-size marble and granite. The total delivered quantity of marble and granite is more than 100,000 sq.ft.

can you give a brief introduction of yourself.

[Stone Forever]

Originally Posted by pakboy

can you give a brief introduction of yourself.

We are specialized in the processing, fabrication and installation of natural stone like marble and granite. Our main area of interest is large-scale building projects. We offer local and imported materials. Some of the projects that we have successfully completed with installation of cut-to-size materials are listed as follows:

• Saudi-Pak Tower, Isbd, qty. 100,000 sq.ft
• Supreme Court of Pakistan, Isbd, qty. 350,000 sq.ft
• Data Darbar Extension, Lhr, qty. 200,000 sq.ft
• Dewan Salman Medical Complex, Khi, qty. 100,000 sq.ft
• Nigerian Embassy, Isbd, qty. 100,000 sq.ft
• Korean Embassy, Isbd, qty. 100,000 sq.ft
• Prime Minister's Secretariat, Isbd, qty. 350,000 sq.ft
• Parliamentarians Lodges, Isbd, qty. 200,000 sq.ft
• Ittefaq Group's private villas, Raiwind/Lhr, qty. 100,000 sq.ft
• Serena Hotel, Isbd, qty. 200,000 sq.ft
• Pakistan Telecom Foundation Plaza, Isbd, qty. 60,000 sq.ft
• Areej Plaza, Isbd, qty. 50,000 sq.ft
• New Saudi Embassy & Ambassador's Residence, Isbd, qty. 75,000 sq.ft

[Red aRRow]

Welcome to the forum Stone Forever.

Please tell me where did you get the marble and granite from??

Why did you import it?? I think there is a huuuge variety of marble (atleast) available in Pakistan. Why the need to import?

Thanks.

[Stone Forever]

Originally Posted by Red aRRow

Welcome to the forum Stone Forever.

Please tell me where did you get the marble and granite from??

Why did you import it?? I think there is a huuuge variety of marble (atleast) available in Pakistan. Why the need to import?

Thanks.

Thanks Red Arrow, I'm glad to be here to share my two bits with all of you.

For this project the marble is from Spain and the granite is from Brazil.

The need to import was due to the relatively short period of supply that was required. Had we relied on domestically produced marble & granite, we would not have been able to deliver 100,000 sq.ft of cut-to-size, finished material within a period of 4 months.

There is not a single processing unit in Pakistan and especially not even a single mine/quarry of marble or granite that could meet the qty./delivery requirement of this project.

[Aryan]

Thats a shame, it would have been nice if the materials for this monument were actually from Pakistan..

[Techno-Architect]

I have updated the latest pix on this project

Visit the link:

http://www.urbanpk.com/forums/index....topic=371&st=0

[swerveut]

How is such an expensive monument justified for a country that hasnt been able to achieve 90% of the goals it was made for?

If we were an economically sound, democratically stable, well educated, tolerant and enlightened country, it would have been a monument to be proud of. Right now its just a behemoth white elephant. A hollow monument constructed to give a false impression of greatness using millions of rupees that could have been MUCH better spent updating our curriculums, training more teachers, or constructing more schools.

[huit]

^ well said!

[Red aRRow]

Originally Posted by Techno-Architect

I have updated the latest pix on this project

Visit the link:

http://www.urbanpk.com/forums/index....topic=371&st=0

Excellento bro excellento!! Love the monument and the attention to details. Thanks a lot for posting. Hope I can see this monument on my next visit to Isloo.

[UnitedPakistan]

Originally Posted by swerveut

How is such an expensive monument justified for a country that hasnt been able to achieve 90% of the goals it was made for?

If we were an economically sound, democratically stable, well educated, tolerant and enlightened country, it would have been a monument to be proud of. Right now its just a behemoth white elephant. A hollow monument constructed to give a false impression of greatness using millions of rupees that could have been MUCH better spent updating our curriculums, training more teachers, or constructing more schools.

This logic falters when we can bring up points such as the M2 should not have been constructed because GT road was already present. Or the Minar-e-Pakistan shouldnt have been constructed because of the more important challenges that we had to face. I for one believe monuments help teach the middle class about our country and instills them with the jazba that we need all our citizens to carry. There will always be a counter argument on this issue.

[swerveut]

You cannot compare infrastructure projects such as M2 to monumental projects which usually serve no purpose. I am sure the youth of the country and the 'middle class' awaam will appreciate the country much more if they are better educated, have more judicial access, have proper healthcare, and have opportunities for self betterment available to them than they would by gazing in awe at any monument to superficial grandeur.

[UnitedPakistan]

Originally Posted by swerveut

You cannot compare infrastructure projects such as M2 to monumental projects which usually serve no purpose. I am sure the youth of the country and the 'middle class' awaam will appreciate the country much more if they are better educated, have more judicial access, have proper healthcare, and have opportunities for self betterment available to them than they would by gazing in awe at any monument to superficial grandeur.

Yes, you can compare the M2 with this because GT road is the ALTERNATIVE route to Islamabad. Infact, a lot of people use the road still to get to Islamabad. This project does serve a purpose though and that is to educate those intrested. They are a 100 diffrent other things the money could have gone into to benefit something better but why do we always have to question EVERY single decision like blood thirsty hounds. So what if they spent money elsewhere. It adds some entertainment value to a already boring city. It was built for the people and that is a good enough reason. Why do they want to work on Port Qasim when Karachi can handle the current load of shipping traffic? Why was Ormara and the rest of the ports opened when the money could have gone to improving infastructure in Karachi? You always do complain that Karachi is not getting this or that. Like I said there is no point in making such arguments as there will always be a better thing to invest into like UP's Bank Account.

[swerveut]

Your reasoning is surprisingly flawed. M2 may have been an alternative route, however, it is still something that is useful as infrastructure. It may be a bit ahead of its time but its not going to be too long before it becomes part of the regular backbone of the country's economy.
As far as Karachi's port goes, having just one port in the country is a disadvantage in itself. And Port Qasim was primarily built for the steel mill and the other heavy industries around it. You are trivializing big infrastructure projects that provide convenience and economic benefit to thousands (if not millions) in the country in your illogical support of a hollow monument. None of the arguments you gave here carries any proper weightage other than suggesting your emotional irritation at somebody objecting to a project that you seem to like.

And as far as criticism of something goes, do you seriously expect all 14 million Pakistanis to have the exact same viewpoint on an issue as you do? This kinda reminds me of the republican American South where even criticising president Bush is seen as unpatriotic.

[UnitedPakistan]

No, since there was a alternative route and considering the economic conditions at the time of the inception of the M2 it was not something that was required. We could have held off the creation of the motorway until we HAD the funds to actually pay for it instead of taking out loans.

Port Qasim may have been built for the steel mills but are you aware of the fact that the steel mills have always been operating at a loss of billions of rupees? Does a failed business really justify the creation of a port to handle its load?

There was NO mention of having everyone agree with me on this issue. You keep bringing up non-issues in your arguments that are completely unrelated to the topic and you seem to be making up things at this point. There was no need to add your sensationalism to the end of your post and it only shows bad on your character when you resort to such tactics.

[Red aRRow]

Well I understand both UP's and SwerveUT's point of views. But I think that the project is a good one, even though some of swerveUT's concerns are legitimate but i somehow feel that a national museum and a monument isn't such a bad thing.

[swerveut]

Originally Posted by UnitedPakistan

There was NO mention of having everyone agree with me on this issue. You keep bringing up non-issues in your arguments that are completely unrelated to the topic and you seem to be making up things at this point. There was no need to add your sensationalism to the end of your post and it only shows bad on your character when you resort to such tactics.

Re-reading what I wrote earlier in my post, I think I did end up over-sensationalizing the last part in my zeal to add a counterpoint. I agree, that was in bad taste.

For the record however, Port Qasim was not just built for the Steel Mill, it was built "for the steel mill and the other heavy industries around it". And as far as taking loans for the M2 goes, it is justified to take loans for infrastructural projects as they pay them back over time. However, I dont understand where the government coughed up money for such an expensive piece-de-resistance when the condition of other public sector programs is dismal enough to put us in ranks with the poor African countries. An example? our healthcare budget is stretched so thin that there are sewers overflowing in the backyard of the biggest hospital in the city of Karachi while the city is being threatened by an epidemic of Dengue. Makes you wonder what really are the priorities of the government?

Anyways we have both stated our viewpoints pretty clearly, so I think I am not going to discuss this further.