Built to last — Karachi’s stonemasons leave their mark

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This historic Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Building located at M. A. Jinnah road of the city was constructed in 1930. Like over two hundreds government and private residential buildings in downtown Karachi, this building was also constructed by the Silawat stonemasons and builders. (AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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This Frere Hall building, which was completed in 1865, was Karachi's town hall and is now being used as an exhibition center and library. This is one of iconic buildings of Karachi being constructed by Silawat stonemasons and builders. (AN Photo by M.F.Sabir)
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This Sindh High Court building was completed on November 22, 1929. One of the stonemasons who worked to complete this building is being laid to rest in Silawat Graveyard, where this building has been designed on the plaque of his grave ( AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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On left, Jaisalmer Fort of Rajasthan, India, the original town of Silawat community, has been designed on plague/headstone of one of the graves in Silawat graveyard. The grave on right has historic ‘Beech Wali Masjid’ of Ranchor Line, Karachi being designed on it ( AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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The name plagues/headstones of graves in Silawat graveyard of Karachi has been decorated with designs of different historical government and private residential buildings of Karachi (AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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This grave in Silawat Graveyard of Karachi has design of the Sindh High Court on it. The deceased buried in this grave is said to be one of the craftsmen who constructed the SHC’s iconic building ( AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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Merewether Clock Tower, which was constructed as a memorial for Sir William L. Merewether, a Commissioner of Sindh from 1867 to 1877, was being designed by James Strachan, the Municipal Engineer, and constructed by Ibrahim s/o Pir Bux and his team in 1886. Ibrahim, who died in 1945, is being buried in this grave with design of the clock tower. (AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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Merewether Clock Tower, which was constructed as a memorial for Sir William L. Merewether, a Commissioner of Sindh from 1867 to 1877, was being designed by James Strachan, the Municipal Engineer, and constructed by Ibrahim s/o Pir Bux and his team in 1886. Ibrahim, who died in 1945, is being buried in this grave with design of the clock tower. (AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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This footstone of a grave has design of judges’ chamber in Sindh High Court ( AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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The name plagues/headstones of graves in Silawat graveyard of Karachi has been decorated with designs of different historical government and private residential buildings of Karachi (AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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Silawat graveyard Karachi (AN photo by M.F. Sabir)
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This grave of Ali Muhammad, founder of Pakistan Masjid Ranchore Line has design of the mosque on his grave. The mosque being built of the community of stonemasons within a day has now been reconstructed on modern lines, Shakeel Silawat community leader told Arab News ( AN photo by M.F. Sabir)
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Beech Wali Masjid, Ranchore line Karachi. The minaret on right side has been designed on the grave of its builder being buried in Silawat graveyard Karachi ( AN photo by M.F. Sabir)
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This iconic building of the D. J. Sindh Govt. Science College Karachi is one of the many buildings being constructed by Silawat community of Karachi ( AN Photo by Arab News)
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The Silawat community of stonemasons, who came to Karachi in early nineteen century, played an important part in the construction of this historical Empress Market. The building constructed between 1884 and 1889 is situated in downtown Karachi. One of the busiest markets, Express Market offers commodities ranging from condiments, fruit, vegetables and meat to stationery material, textiles and pets (AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
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This iconic Merewether Clock Tower was constructed as a memorial for Sir William L. Merewether, a Commissioner of Sindh from 1867 to 1877. It was designed by James Strachan, the Municipal Engineer, and constructed by Ibrahim s/o Pir Bux and his team in 1886. Ibrahim, who died in 1945, is being buried in this grave with design of the clock tower. (AN Photo by M.F. Sabir)
Updated 06 September 2018
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Built to last — Karachi’s stonemasons leave their mark

  • Members of the Silawat community helped build some of the most iconic buildings of the region
  • Migrated from Rajasthan in the 19th century to settle down in Karachi where they found better employment opportunities

KARACHI: Next time you see the Taj Mahal, remember that there is a little bit of Karachi in it too.

“Our ancestors were among the people who [worked on the stones used in building] the Taj Mahal and the Jaisalmer Fort. You can see images of those buildings here,” Shakir Ali, caretaker of Karachi’s Silawat graveyard, told Arab News, pointing at one of the tombstones in the area. 

The cemetery, located in the Dhobi Ghat area of the city, is just one extension of the Silawats – a community that migrated to Sindh from India’s Rajasthan in the 19th century. 

Statistics from the 2017 population census estimate that there are more than 10,000 Silawats residing in Karachi, with the graveyard built as the final resting ground for the community members.

It is hard to miss the images of some of the most iconic buildings from the region that adorn the tombstones in the cemetery. “Our forefathers were highly-skilled builders who played a vital role in constructing some of the most prominent buildings in this region,” Ziauddin Parwaz, a community elder looking at the graveyard’s upkeep, said. 

“Everyone knows the British engineers who built the structures in Karachi. However, few realize that it was the skill of our elders that made the construction of those structures possible,” he added with a hint of resentment. 

Some of the buildings whose architecture traces its roots to the craftsmanship of the Silawat community include: the Frère Hall, Sindh High Court, Merewether Clock Tower, Empress Market, Karachi Port Trust, Radio Pakistan, DJ College, NJV School and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.

At the entrance of the cemetery is the tomb of Ibrahim [known only by one name] who died in 1945 and is considered one of the finest stonemasons of his time. His gravestone now adorns the design of the Merewether Clock Tower since he was one of the artisans who helped dress the iconic structure. 

Similarly, an outline of the Pakistan Mosque can be seen on the grave of its builder, Ali Muhammad. While two other burial places have images of the Sindh High Court and the Judges’ Chamber marked on their headstone and footstone, designs of various residential buildings adorn other gravestones too. 

Ibrahim and Muhammad might probably be the last of the legion. With millennials from the community opting to take up other professions, the art of stonemasonry is unfortunately dying a slow death.  

However, this has not prevented the younger Silawats from taking pride in the accomplishments of their ancestors – a quality which they inherited from the few elders in their community. “We decorate the graves and their headstones with designs of historic buildings to applaud the achievements of our clan. It’s our tribute to their work,” Parwaz said.

Hailing from the Jaisalmer area of Rajasthan, the community witnessed a steady migration to Ahmednagar, Sukkar, Hyderabad and Karachi.

According to Shakeel Silawat, a senior journalist from the Silawat tribe, his forefathers decided to leave their ancestral land due to a dearth of employment opportunities. After exploring several areas, they finally zeroed in on Karachi -- a port city that was willing to offer more work, at better pay, to builders and stonemasons.

For some like Muhammad Hashim Gazdar -- an engineer-cum-politician who was born in Jaisalmer on February 1, 1893 – life has come a full circle. Gazdar remained the mayor of Karachi from May 1941 to May 1942 before he was elected to the Bombay Legislative Council in 1934. Post partition, he was appointed as the deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly. His final resting place is the Silawat graveyard.

Gazdar is just one among several from the community who are still remembered for their contribution to the city. When the Endowment Fund Trust (EFT) began the conservation process of the historic Karachi Press Club building a few years ago, it invited members from the Silawat community to check the quality of stones. “The EFT replaced the stones on the recommendation of our elders, showing that our tribe’s expertise in the field is still valued,” Shakeel Silawat said.


Pakistan parliament approves bills to extend tenure of services chiefs to five years

Updated 04 November 2024
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Pakistan parliament approves bills to extend tenure of services chiefs to five years

  • Extension in services of army, navy and air force chiefs follows controversial amendments to the constitution last month
  • The opposition PTI party condemns the amendments for changing Pakistan “from a democracy into a monarchy”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate on Monday approved bills to extend the tenure of the army, navy, and air force chiefs from three to five years, amid protests by the opposition benches. 

The office of the army chief is considered to be the most powerful in the country, with the army having ruled Pakistan for almost half of its 75-year history. Even when not directly in power, the army is considered to be the invisible guiding hand in politics and holds considerable sway in internal security, foreign policy, and economic affairs, among other domains. 

Six bills were passed by the upper and lower houses on Monday evening, including one to increase the term of the services chiefs.

“In the said Act, in section 8A, in sub-section (1), for the expression “three (03)” the word “five (05)” shall be substituted,” read the bill, seeking to amend the Pakistan Army Act, 1952.

Similar bills were passed to increase the duration of the country’s naval and air force chiefs to five years also. 

“The purpose of these amendments are to make consistent the Pakistan Army Act, 1952 (XXXIX of 1952) The Pakistan Navy Ordinance, 1961 (Ordinance No. XXXV of 1961) and The Pakistan Air Force Act, 1953 (VI of 1953) with the maximum tenure of the Chief of the Army Staff, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff and to make consequential amendments for uniformity in the aforementioned laws.” 

Speaking outside parliament, the chairman of the opposition PTI party, Gohar Ali Khan, said:

“Today, democracy has been changed into a monarchy.”

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, said “modifying the service chiefs’ tenure is not a good thing for the country and the armed forces.”

The passage of the new bills follows controversial amendments made to the constitution last month, granting lawmakers the authority to nominate the chief justice of Pakistan, who previously used to be automatically appointed according to the principle of seniority.

The amendments allowed the government to bypass the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and appoint Justice Yahya Afridi as the country’s top judge, replacing former chief justice Qazi Faez Isa. 

The opposition and the legal fraternity had opposed the amendments, arguing that they were aimed at granting more power to the executive in making judicial appointments and curtailing the independence of the judiciary. The government denies this.


Pakistani forces kill six militants in shootouts near border with Afghanistan — military

Updated 04 November 2024
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Pakistani forces kill six militants in shootouts near border with Afghanistan — military

  • Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, has witnessed a number of attacks recently
  • Pakistan blames the surge in militancy on militants operating out of Afghanistan, Kabul denies the allegations

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces have killed six militants in two separate engagements in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the Pakistani military said on Monday.
A militant was killed in an exchange of fire during an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan’s Dosali area, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
In the second incident, Pakistani forces intercepted a group of militants while infiltrating the country’s border with Afghanistan in the South Waziristan district. Five militants were killed as a result.
“Pakistan has consistently been asking Interim Afghan Government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“Interim Afghan Government is expected to fulfil its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by Khwarij [militants] for perpetuating acts of terrorism against Pakistan.”
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, has witnessed a number of attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups that targeted security forces convoys and check posts, besides targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials in recent months.
Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups, urging the Taliban administration in Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by armed factions to launch cross-border attacks.
Afghan officials, however, deny involvement, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter of Islamabad.
 


Pakistan Navy test-fires ship-launched ballistic missile ranging 350 kilometers

Updated 04 November 2024
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Pakistan Navy test-fires ship-launched ballistic missile ranging 350 kilometers

  • The missile is capable of striking land and sea targets with ‘high precision’
  • Pakistan, India consider their missile programs as deterrent against each other

KARACHI: Pakistan Navy has successfully test-fired a ship-launched ballistic missile having a range of 350 km and capable of striking both land and sea targets, it said on Monday.
Pakistan sees its missile development as a deterrent against nuclear-armed arch-foe India. Both countries have fought multiple wars since their independence from Britain in 1947.
The two South Asian neighbors have long been developing missiles of varying ranges in a bid to ensure deterrence against possible attacks from each other, with analysts often warning these developments could push the region into an arms race.
“Pakistan Navy conducted a successful flight test of an indigenously developed ship-launched ballistic missile,” the Directorate General of Public Relations (DGPR) of Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
“The weapon system with 350km range is capable of engaging land and sea targets with high precision.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikldB3jieWo
The flight test of the weapon system, equipped with a state-of-the-art navigation system and maneuverability features, was witnessed by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, senior naval officers, scientists and engineers.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu congratulated the participating navy units and scientists on the development.
 
 


Qatar investment team due in Pakistan this month, PM Sharif says after Doha visit

Updated 04 November 2024
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Qatar investment team due in Pakistan this month, PM Sharif says after Doha visit

  • The statement comes days after Sharif visited Qatar seeking to bolster economic cooperation between both nations
  • Before arriving in Doha, Sharif attended the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh and met the Saudi Crown Prince

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday a team of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) will visit Pakistan this month to set up an information technology (IT) park in the South Asian country.
The statement came days after Sharif visited Qatar while seeking to bolster economic cooperation amid Pakistan’s efforts to boost foreign investment to stabilize its frail $350 billion economy.
Before arriving in Doha, Sharif attended the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he discussed trade and investment with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Speaking at a meeting of his cabinet, Sharif said a QIA team will visit Pakistan this month, while its chief of Asia-Pacific & Africa Investments, Faisal Bin Thani Al Thani, will also arrive in Islamabad by the end of this month.
“Qatar emir said the same thing. They also suggested setting up an IT park here [in Pakistan],” Sharif told his cabinet members in televised comments.
During his visit, Sharif led delegation-level talks with the Qatari emir before holding a separate meeting with him to discuss a wide array of issues.
“The leaders reviewed the entire spectrum of Pakistan-Qatar relations, exploring potential avenues for enhanced cooperation in trade, potential areas of investment, energy, and culture,” Sharif’s office said last week.
He also met a delegation of the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA) and invited them to invest in Pakistan’s energy, infrastructure and technology sectors.
The developments came amid Pakistan’s attempts to increase trade and foreign investment after it narrowly escaped a default last year by securing a last-gasp $3 billion financial assistance package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The South Asian country has since sought to promote closer economic ties with regional and international allies to bolster its fragile economy, which has been suffering from a prolonged macroeconomic crisis.
 


Pakistan central bank cuts key rate by 250 bps to 15%

Updated 04 November 2024
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Pakistan central bank cuts key rate by 250 bps to 15%

  • Monday’s move follows cuts of 150 bps in June, 100 in July and 200 in September
  • It takes the total policy rate cuts in the country to 700 bps in under five months

KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank cut its key policy rate by 250 basis points to 15 percent on Monday, it said in a statement, for a fourth straight reduction since June, as the country keeps up efforts to revive a sluggish economy with inflation easing.
Most respondents in a Reuters poll last week expected a cut of 200 bps after inflation moved down sharply from a multi-decade high of nearly 40 percent in May 2023, saying reductions were needed to bolster growth.
Average consumer price index inflation in the South Asian country is 8.7 percent in the current financial year, which started in July, the statistics bureau says. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects inflation to average 9.5 percent for the year ending June.
Monday’s move follows cuts of 150 bps in June, 100 bps in July, and 200 in September that have taken the rate from an all-time high of 22 percent, set in June 2023 and left unchanged for a year. It takes the total cuts to 700 bps in under five months.
October inflation came in at 7.2 percent, slightly above the government’s expectation of 6 percent to 7 percent. The finance ministry expects inflation to slow further to 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent in November.
However, inflation could pick up again in 2025, driven by electricity and gas price increases after a new $7-billion IMF bailout, and the potential impact of taxes on the retail, wholesale and the farm sector announced in the June budget to take effect in January 2025, some analysts say.