Karachi’s Heritage

The preservation of lists of buildings identified as significant is a prerequisite to the conservation of historic urban architecture. During the 1960s, Karachi Development Authority(KDA), under the guidance of its Chief Town Planner, Mr. Ahmed Ali, prepared a list of such buildings; however, the KDA list was limited (42 structures) and confined itself to prominent buildings which are largely owned/occupied by government agencies. The vast reservoir of historic buildings of Karachi thus remained un-documented and un-protected. Since KDA was unable to enlarge upon that list, Heritage Foundation initiated the Heritage Documentation Programme and published the first document on Karachi in 1986.

In December 1993, the Chief Minister, Government of Sindh agreed to a Heritage Foundation proposal to bring about legislation for the preservation of historic architecture.

The Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee, formed under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act, 1994, met in August 1995, and provided protection to all the buildings identified by the Heritage Foundation and published as Karachi Document 2 and 3 of the National Register. The Committee assigned Heritage Foundation the task of identification and publication of all other significant buildings in Karachi, so that they could also be protected.

Heritage Foundation with its limited resources is proceeding with the immediate finalization and publication of inventories of the remaining buildings of cultural, historic and architectural significance in Karachi.

Through the efforts of Heritage Foundation several important buildings have been preserved, including the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum, Karachi and the G.P.O Building, Lahore, which are the first British-period buildings to be restored. Several buildings such as the Hindu Gymkhana and Jaffer Faddoo Dispensary, Karachi have also been saved from demolition.

Heritage Foundation has completed a systematic inventory of approximately ninety percent of significant buildings built prior to 1947 in Karachi. Several Documents on Karachi’s Quarters have already been published. Further, based on the data that has been collected, detailed proposals for conservation zones are being developed, such as the Saddar Pedestrian Precinct, Karachi’s Cultural Precinct and Frere Hall Cultural District.