Pattan Minar

The ruins of Pattan Minar lie about eight kilometres south-east of Rahim Yar Khan and offer the best preserved ancient site in the Khanpur area. A square brick base supports the remains of a tall tower or minar; around it are the foundations of what appear to have been a fort, a mosque, and several underground tunnels. The site has been variously identified as an Ashokan-era Buddhist stupa from the 3rd century BC, a medieval Hindu temple complex, and an early Islamic fort.

The British political agent Sir Alexander Cunningham partly excavated the site in the late 19th century but never completed the work, and much of its history remains buried. The ruins are easily reached on a short drive from Rahim Yar Khan and make a good introduction to the desert sites for anyone not up to the longer trek out to Islam Garh or Mau Mubarik. No facilities, no entry charge.

things to do sight historic desert
A story
The 19th-century British political agent Sir Alexander Cunningham — founder of the Archaeological Survey of India — visited Pattan Minar in 1878 and identified it tentatively as an Ashokan-era Buddhist stupa, part of a chain of religious sites along the long-vanished Sarasvati river. Excavations have never resumed since his time and the site's real chronology remains unresolved.