Nusserwanjee building to be restored

KARACHI: With US Ambassador Paul Jones announcing a grant of Rs15 million for Karachi’s Nusserwanjee Building, the historic structure is set to get a new lease on life.

Addressing a ceremony held at the Indus Valley School of Art (IVS), housed in the building, the ambassador said that the grant would be released by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP).

The rehabilitation project is a joint venture of AFCP and the Sindh Exploration and Adventure Society (SEAS), a non-profit organisation.

“Working together, ACFP and SEAS, as well as IVS, will demonstrate that the preservation of cultural sites goes beyond stones and mortar.  It is an investment in building a stronger, more prosperous Pakistan,” said the ambassador, speaking on the occasion. “Preservation work strengthens communities, builds a sense of belonging, contributes to economic development and educates future generations about the heritage,” he added.

Constructed in 1903, the Nusserwanjee Building is representative of historical downtown Karachi and is a reminder of Karachi’s pluralistic religious and cultural roots.  It was saved from demolition in 1991 and relocated, stone by stone, from Kharadar to the IVS campus.

This is the third AFCP grant in Sindh and the 23rd such award in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2020.