Rohtas Fort, or Qila Rohtas, rises above the Potohar landscape near Dina in Punjab’s Jhelum District. Its position beside historic routes between the Afghan highlands and the Punjab plains helps explain why a ruler would invest in a fortified garrison here. The complex is not a compact palace with one ceremonial façade: its walls follow the uneven hilltop, enclosing a large area that still contains a village and working daily life.
The fort was begun in 1541 by Sher Shah Suri, founder of the Suri dynasty, after his victory over the Mughal emperor Humayun. UNESCO describes it as a strategic military complex and an exceptional example of early Muslim military architecture in Central and South Asia. The Jhelum district’s account also connects the project with efforts to control the Gakhars of Potohar, some of whom supported Humayun. Those motives are part of the region’s political history, not a simple tale of one battle.