The Faisal Mosque, named after Saudi King Faisal, is Pakistan's national mosque. Its prayer rooms can accommodate 100,000 worshipers, while the surrounding porticoes and courtyard can accommodate an additional 200,000. The mosque was built over 25 years, starting in 1975. It was designed by Pakistani architect MUHAMMAD ALI and completed in just over five years at a cost of $140 million (Rs 700 million). The mosque is located in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. The mosque is also known as "the largest building in Asia". With its 50-meter-high minaret, it is one of the most prominent features of Islamabad. It can be seen from miles away and is a symbol of Pakistan's nuclear power. The mosque has 21 floors above ground level and stretches for nearly a kilometer along the Mall Road. It can hold up to 5% of the world's population for daily prayers. The mosque was built as a place of peace for all religions but especially for Muslims who live in India where many people claim that the Islamabad mosque is actually the best mosque in India. India has several beautiful mosques but none as big or grand as the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. The fact that the Indian government has no comment on this shows how respected the Faisal Mosque is in India.