KARACHI: Nestled in the heart of Pakistan’s commercial capital of Karachi, the State Bank (SBP) Museum and Art Gallery stands as a testament to the region’s monetary history, with an extensive collection of artefacts like ancient coins, currency notes and rare documents, including cheques signed by the nation’s founding father.

The museum — housed in the hundred-year-old building of the former Imperial Bank of India on Karachi’s I.I. Chundrigar Road — takes visitors through a journey of the evolution of finance, from ancient barter systems to sophisticated financial instruments available today.

Notable exhibits displayed at the museum include the first cheque issued at Habib Bank from the personal account of Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and his original account-opening form.

“This State Bank Museum is the first and only specialized money museum of Pakistan which covers the theme of the evolution of money, starting from barter trade till e-banking,” museum official Jibran Ali told Arab News.

“One of the specialties of this museum is the coins ... Starting from the 6th century BC up to the coins of Pakistan today, we have all of the different dynasties’ coins available in this museum.”

One gallery displays a collection of coins from emperors that once ruled the region, including the British, the Mughals and the Arab rulers of Sindh. The first currency notes printed by the Reserve Bank of India after India and Pakistan’s independence from British rule in 1947 are also on display. 

One of the highlights is Hajj notes, specially designed for pilgrims from 1949 to the 1980s, which could be used in Saudi Arabia.

“On the same note, we can see that the Government of Pakistan [logo] is also mentioned alongside the Reserve Bank of India,” Ali said.

A range of cowrie shells, Indus seals and Ratti seeds as well as coins from various ancient cultures such as the Indo-Greek and Kushan eras are also on display. 

“Cowrie shells were initially used as money and also as ornaments in jewelry until the 19th century in different parts of the world,” Ali explained. “We have a vast collection of more than 7,000 rare coins available today.”

Old minting machines are another interesting part of the collection.

“These machines used to produce coins and paper money and give visitors a rare glimpse into the craftsmanship behind currency production before modern technology took over,” the museum in-charge added. 

The original office furniture of the central bank’s first governor, Zahid Hussain, and the bank’s inaugural account ledger are also showcased. Visitors can also view antique coin-minting machines, a currency printing press, and the first automated teller machine (ATM) in Pakistan, introduced by Habib Bank in 1988.

“We have the first ATM as well,” Ali said. “And we have original vaults of the 1920s.”

“PAST ECONOMIES”

The building itself is a historical marvel, featuring a Greco-Roman design with a stunning glass ceiling and intricately preserved Burma teak doors. Built in the 1920s for the Imperial Bank of India, the structure is crafted from Jodhpuri Red Sandstone and a grand example of colonial-era architecture.

Professor Altaf Aseem, a heritage and archaeology expert, said the museum was important both for its building and the collection inside. 

“From cowrie shells to modern-day currency, the museum has a wide array of items on display. However, the building that houses these coins and currencies is equally significant, as it is itself a heritage site. In a way, we can say that heritage is housed within heritage,” Aseem told Arab News.

The currency notes and metal coins on display showed an impressive array of art and calligraphy from different periods also, the historian said. 

“For example, some display Khat-e-Kufi, others use Nasta’liq, and some feature the Naskh script,” Aseem added, referring to different calligraphy styles. 

“This variety is a key highlight of the collection. Even though details are often missing such as who made these designers, the collection remains remarkable.”

Babar Ali, a visitor, said the museum offered a “deep dive into the history of money.”

“One of the most impressive sections is the collection of rare coins, including those from the era of Alexander the Great, the Arab rulers, and other significant historical empires,” the retired government official said. 

“The display also includes precious metal coins like gold and silver, which highlight their importance in past economies.”

QUETTA: Authorities in Pakistan’s Balochistan on Tuesday cited a lack of preparedness as they announced that a planned polio vaccine campaign in the province was being postponed until Dec. 30, a staggering blow for a region that has reported the highest number of cases of the crippling virus this year. 

Pakistan on Monday launched the latest nationwide drive to vaccinate 44 million children in 143 districts from Dec. 16-22 amid a surge in polio cases compared to previous years, with the 2024 tally reaching 63 last week.

In Balochistan province, which has reported the highest number of polio cases this year, 26, the anti-polio drive was first postponed by a day on Monday due to security reasons.

However, the campaign was not launched on Tuesday as planned, with the Provincial Emergency Operation Center (EOC) saying it would now start on Dec. 30 in all 36 districts of the remote, impoverished province that has for decades been plagued by an insurgency by separatist militants who frequently attack government officials, security forces and investment projects.

“The campaign will now start on December 30th,” the EOC said in a statement. “The latest nationwide anti-polio campaign in Balochistan has been postponed due to required preparations at the district level.”

Dr. Aftab Kakar, a senior health official in Quetta, said provincial authorities had decided to delay the vaccination drive due to a boycott by the Grand Health Alliance Balochistan, an umbrella organization representing health care workers in the province.

“Paramedical staff was involved with us [previously] … but we have prepared a new strategy now,” he told Arab News. “We won’t hire those paramedics who boycotted the latest anti-polio drive in Balochistan, and a decision has been made to hire private staff who will serve in the next campaign starting from Decc. 30.”

Jamal Shah, a representative of the alliance, said the paramedics had not boycotted the campaign but were registering their protest against the involvement of “medically unskilled” people locally hired by deputy commissioners to take part in the campaigns.

“Balochistan has the highest number of polio cases in Pakistan this year due to the participation of non-technical government staff in anti-polio campaigns,” he told Arab News. “Negligence of unskilled staffers defames the provincial health department.”

Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five are essential to provide high immunity against the virus.

Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts have faced several challenges in recent years, including militant attacks and misinformation spread by militants and conservative clerics.

Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. In the early 1990s, the country reported around 20,000 cases annually but in 2018 the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.