Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Mahabat Khan Mosque rose from the highest point in old Peshawar between 1660 and 1670. Historical records place the construction firmly within these decade-long boundaries rather than the earlier 1630 date sometimes cited.
Mughal governor Mahabat Khān commissioned this structure to mark his authority over the region. The mosque stands as a testament to the political power of the Mughal Empire during that specific period.
White marble defines the exterior façade of the prayer hall, creating one of Peshawar's most iconic sights today. Three fluted domes cap the roofline while two tall minarets flank the main entrance and six smaller decorative minarets surround five arched entryways.
During Sikh rule in Peshawar, the minarets served a grim purpose beyond religious calls to prayer where five people per day were hanged from these towers as punishment for banning five times Azan for prayer. Authorities used this method as a substitute for traditional gallows to maintain public order.
Tribal elders gathered within the mosque grounds following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to use the open courtyard as a meeting point to forge unity among Afghans against foreign forces. This period transformed the building from purely religious space into a political sanctuary for displaced communities.