Karachi Press Club gets a makeover

Rs10m were spent on the restoration

KARACHI: The historic building of Karachi Press Club was handed over to the club's administration after renovation on Monday. The dilapidated building has been structurally strengthened and restored to its original magnificence, under the supervision of skilful engineers, by the Endowment Fund Trust (EFT). The renovations were completed over a period of four years.

Chairman Endowment Fund Trust (AFT) of Sindh Jahangir Siddiqui inaugurated the renovated building and suggested the formation of a committee comprising representatives from AFT, Karachi Press Club, civil society and the architects of Karachi to prevent the encroachment on Karachi’s cultural and heritage buildings and to restore them to their original glory.

“We need to strengthen our heritage laws to protect our cultural and architectural heritage and to remove loopholes in the existing laws to safeguard our heritage,” Siddiqui said.

Speaking about the renovation work, he stated that the restoration of an old, cultural and architectural structure was an uphill task

“The process not only takes a great deal of money but also hard work, passion and dedication as each and every brick and stone has to be replaced with the same type and shape of stone and brick,” he added.

The majestic building, constructed with yellow stones, has not only served as the centre for journalists since 1958 but has also been the host of countless groups of people voicing their grievances and protests over the years. The 150-year old weather-beaten building was restored through a process of arduous renovations. A formal inauguration ceremony was held to celebrate this restoration. Karachi Press Club (KPC) President Ahmed Malik, KPC Secretary Maqsood Ahmed Yousufi, EFT Managing Trustee Hameed Haroon and senior journalists attended the ceremony.



Abdul Hamid Akhund of EFT said in his address that the building is deeply entrenched in the city's history hence restoration efforts were taken. He informed that the Sindh government has given funds of approximately Rs1 billion for the restoration and preservation of heritage buildings, and accordingly, historic sites across Sindh, including the Ranikot Fort, are being renovated. Constructing a new building is relatively easier than restoring an old building, he added, while commenting on the enormity of the task. According to Akhund, Rs10 million were spent on the restoration of the Press Club.



Others at the event called for stricter adherence to laws for the preservation of historic sites. They expressed their grievance over heritage sites being torn down to construct new buildings despite the national heritage laws which are in place. They were of the opinion that the laws need to be enforced more diligently.

KPC President Ahmed Malik commended the efforts that went into the restoration. He stressed that restoration work calls for passion and dedication. A high-rise building may be constructed in one year but renovating an old building is an emotional process, he explained. He added that KPC was thankful to EFT as the building had been deteriorating over the years. Malik explained that every brick of KPC has been replaced, making it durable to last another century. The restoration efforts have also preserved its original aesthetic beauty, he added.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, engineer Mohan Lal said that the archaeologists and engineers working on the project took special care to restore the structure which had been affected by seepage and termites over the years. He said that this work required a great deal of expertise and care.

The restorers claim that the building will now be functional for another 150 years. Guests were presented with KPC insignias and traditional ajraks at the ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2018.