BY Lt Gen (R) Sardar Hasan Azhar Hayat
MD Pakistan Land Port Authority
Ex. MD Green Tourism Pvt. Ltd
Everyday looking out of my office window in Kohsar block, I kept on asking my staff what is this Mushroom head building, they hardly knew and told me belonged to the Atomic Energy Commission, I kept wondering what are they doing in secretariat area. One day I sent my driver to go and see! He came with information it is National Archives of Pakistan building. I was excited as I am making a research on family. Friday is usually a busy day spreading over till late night due to approaching weekends, so I decided to go in morning before office, but my SO told me Sir they are not that early but when we requested they agreed to come in morning so went to see what lay inside, this unique architecture building.
It had rained in morning and passing on beautiful Margalla Road we turned on constitutional Avenue to pass road which intersects the secretariat on both sides, you pass by old tall trees twisting you reach in 5 minutes to the National Archives , this area resembles old Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. While passing I have always thought I don’t know why don’t we white wash these secretariat building where the whole federal bureaucracy sits! Anyway as we entered the gate we were warmly greeted by conservator Mr Khurram who was head of conservation and had been serving there for last 15 years – he ushered us inside the four story building with basement to under basement. He looked inquisitive as to why a retired military general is here and I was asking him questions! National archives was initially located in Karachi and started working in 1951 as directorate of National Archives and libraries; later in 1973 it was shifted to Rawalpindi in a rented accommodation and after Islamabad was made capital in 1960 on commissioning of the new building shifted in Islamabad in 1989. It works under two acts archival material and preservation act 1953 and national archival act 1993. It works only on Category A documents. As we entered it seems some renovation is going on but later a friend informed me that due to rains water had seemed in some work is going on. It is nice building,
Relatively well maintained especially the archive rooms. It is placed directly under cabinet division. Honestly it’s a treasure not known and could be made even nicer but glad it exists and someone is taking care of it. We climbed to second floor and Mr Khurram along with two other colleagues would not leave us without having morning cup of tea. We chatted, perhaps gave me opportunity, so I clarified my purpose of visit to Quench my thirst of knowledge, as an enthusiast and nothing to do with military, after all military is from society and we in military have hobbies and heart for things, a problem I face where ever I go, but in return always got respect.
Mr Khurram along with other two gentlemen descended to first floor and entered photo room having rare collection of 3000 photograph albums of Quaid and pre or partition times pics, amazing!! They also indicated me few from my family. The room also had some nice scanning machines which was scanning old newspaper, I also noticed some nice scanners and much to my interest negative conversion machines, I could have spent a whole day in rhie room but now we moved out to basement, but I promised I will present them with an old album out of my collection
Passing through long colluder we entered an open space with pics of our hero’s and partition. I must tell the reader that I had collected 1000 pics of Peshawar and made a memory lane in Peshawar which is worth a visit! A door led us into another display room! This was even more interesting with partition frames hanging on wall and show casing manuscripts of old papers, quads and motharma Fatima Jinnah personal papers, some shahi farmans and most interesting was the original document when Kashmir was sold. This open space led us to the most valuable record the Quaid w Azam papers they are total 1366 well stocked in moisture free caskets, I saw few, also room houses 1170 Fatima Jinnah papers. The most interesting was Quaid passport, his certificate of bar at law and even his double barrel license. The curator explained me the temp control mechanism, fire alarm system and explained that they are now trying to make this a UNESCO site for preserved document. It’s amazing record and could take months to explore and research, most of the even older documents are place in Punjab archives in Lahore.
I have been wondering how paper restoration is done so on my asking they took me to laboratory, few people working; a lady first tried telling me here they do dry and wet restoration, perhaps seeing my interest started explaining. It’s a time consuming process. It uses various types of acid free Japanese tissues made by hand used for conservation such as lenses tissue, Japanese kozo tissue, dover repair tissue, limnetic coated tissue, Area bonded fiber(ABF) tissue, Crompton coated tissue. Different chemicals are also used for different purposes like paper mending and ink fixing etc. interesting it was and pure knowledge.
Our next stop was library very few people had come by now. Probably still early. The library has 20 K books some rare as well some are donated while some are purchased. All the Quaid & Mohtarma papers are duplicated and available for research. The librarian was kind enough to have taken out few books on my family history. I asked if it was open to public and it was and membership is Rs 20, I told that I will be member and will pay Rs 1000, this is sad part we can spend money on grub and cigars but want free ticket for such precious places. I saw many old books in oriental covers which were used in 19th century. The oldest book on natural history was of 1739. I glanced through different shelf’s picking up few to see what it carried. I think this place needs a quiet visit for visits many times to see the treasure it holds.
It was an interesting morning to start a day! Mr. Khurram bid us farewell. I sat in my car thinking this place needs projection, it needs seminars and workshops, it can be a major tourist attention in Pakistan and above all I was thinking how to motivate my friends and family who remain lost in mobile phones. How many have seen – I would urge younger generation to see, schools and colleges. Let’s take pride in our history and archives.
