Qamar House

Qamar House
General information
Architectural style Art Deco[1]
Location 16/2 G.K.8 Ghulam Hussain Kassim Quarters, M. A. Jinnah Road, Karachi, Sindh
Country Pakistan
Coordinates 24°54′N 67°01′E / 24.90°N 67.02°E / 24.90; 67.02Coordinates: 24°54′N 67°01′E / 24.90°N 67.02°E / 24.90; 67.02
Elevation 29 ft above msl
Current tenants Eastern Federal Union (EFU Life) Insurance Company
Construction started 1951
Completed 1955
Inaugurated 1957[1]
Demolished n.a.
Cost Rs 2.4M in 1957
Landlord Qamardin & Other’s 1955-2002; EFU-2002 onward
Height 129 ft (39 m)
Dimensions
Diameter trapezoidal
Other dimensions 150ft * 300ft
Technical details
Structural system RCC Frame in filled masonry
Floor count 12
Floor area 268,056 sq ft
Design and construction
Architect Qamardin Mahomed Hashwani (QMH)
Structural engineer A Mevawalla
Civil engineer Ahmedali Mahomed Hashwani (AMH)
Quantity surveyor QJV with QMH
Awards and prizes Sindh Government Recognition April 15, 2011 National Heritage Monument, EFU House (Qamar House) Heritage of Sindh website Published in 2017, Retrieved 16 February 2018
Other information
Parking open plot (cos) 125 square yards
References
Qamardin Jaffer Valliani: Procurement for building Qamar House & facilities maintenance management till 2002

Qamar House was designed by Qamardin Mahomed Hashwani, (QMH), (d.o.b.: 07.11.1917) Architect, in 1951, and built in partnership with Qamardin Jaffer Valliani, (QJV), in 1951-57. From inception in 1951 till 2002 Qamar House was initially owned by four original partners of Qamardin & Others: Qamardin Mahomed Hashwani 25%, Qamardin Jaffer Valliani 25%, Ahmed Ali Mahomed Hashwani 25%, Tajdin Jaffer Valliani 25%; subsequently, original four owners successively gifted of their 25% shares sub-fractionally to members within each of their nuclear families, thence in 2002 it was owned by 24 co-owners, after Qamardin Mahomed Hashwani’s demise on his date of birth, November 07, in 1970; followed by other original partners’ demises. It was acquired by EFU in 2002.[1] It is now EFU Building (Qamar House), the headoffice for EFU Life (Eastern Federal Union), the largest insurance company in Pakistan. Qamar House is located across the Karachi Port Trust Building[1]

Background

During pre-partition of India before 1947, Qamardin Mahomed Hashwani worked as apprentice with Mistry Bedhwar, British Architect, Karachi, where with innate design and entrepreneurial talent, he acquired flare for designing classical buildings. After India's partition in 1947, Qamardin Mahomed Hashwani was eager to create a firm of architects, engineers & builders, Qamardin & Co., when Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, KMC was the regulatory body in Karachi. Authorities in Pakistan selectively, due to lack of qualified professionals, awarded licenses to dicernably reputable individuals for design of buildings. Qamardin HashwanI earned dIstinction and was awarded Architects Licence by KMC. The mercantile activities during the earlier days were under the purview of another partnership Qamar Impex, with the same partners: Qamardin Mahomed Hashwani, Qamardin Jaffer Valliani, Ahmedali Mahomed Hashwani and Tajdin Jaffer Valliani. Qamardin Hashwani's innate talent was recognized by the Secretary, Ministry of Industries and Production (Pakistan), Ghulam Farooq in 1950 when Qamardin & Co. was selected for design and construction of Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation building (PIDC House). At that time, the young vibrant partners were eager to contribute toward building Pakistan's base of commerce, trade and industry. While Qamar House was being constructed its recognition spread beyond Pakistan. HH Shah Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III spotted Qamardin’s talent in addition to his active role as a social-worker in the Nizari Ismailia community. On July 5, 1957 Aga Khan III appointed Qamardin as his Honorary Architect for Pakistan. This appointment was reaffirmed by Aga Khan IV succeeding his grandfather, when he appointed Qamardin as Honorary Architect for life for various projects throughout Pakistan. Notably among them were several monumental Ismailia Jamatkhanas: Kharadhar Jamatkhana - Aga Khan III Road, Kharadhar, Karachi; Garden East Jamatkhana - Britto Road, Garden East, Karachi; Nizari Jamatkhana, North Nazimambad, Karachi; and the Hyderabad Nizari Ismailia Jamatkhana, Prince Aly Khan Road, Hyderabad. Qamardin Hashwani of Qamar House served Aga Khan VI as Honorary Architect for life from July 11, 1957 - November 7, 1970 when he passed away on his date of birth: in 1917, after completing all the Jamatkhanas he was commissioned for as Honorary Architect. Qamar House was the tallest building of Karachi until the construction of the Habib Bank Plaza building in 1968.[1][2][3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Profile of EFU House (Qamar House) on Heritage of Sindh website Published in 2017, Retrieved 16 February 2018
  2. ↑ Khursheed Hyder (2 February 2014). "Leaving something for posterity". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  3. ↑ Aziz Ahmad (2 August 2015). "Mansehra to Mayflower". The News International (newspaper). Retrieved 16 February 2018.
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