Restored Ziarat Residency | Jinnah's last Staying House

Ziarat Balochistan, Pakistan

Ziarat is a charming, lush and healthy place located 133 km northeast of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province in Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah the founder of Pakistan was very fond of this beautiful place, which is 8200 feet above sea level.

The Ziarat has always been a attraction for tourists due to its beauty and charm and even before the formation of Pakistan, Indian and foreign tourists were drawn to the ancient forests of Juniper Valley and the natural environment here, and used to come frequently.

Beauty which Affected Jinnah

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah along with his sister Fatima Jinnah, who has been given the title of Mother of the Nation, visited here even before the establishment of Pakistan.

Restored Ziarat Residency | Jinnah's last Staying House

Ziarat Balochistan, Pakistan

And in the remote area, the magic, the charm, the beauty, the uniqueness, which was hidden in the shroud of the mystery of the Ziarat isolated from the world, had taken hold of them too.

History of Ziarat

By the way, the old name of the Ziarat was "Gwashgi or Ghousiki". Some time ago, Hazrat Mullah Tahir Rehmatullah who is known as Kharwari Baba in Balochistan stayed in Ziarat. The area became known as Ziarat due to the footsteps of a dervishes and Wali-Ullah.

Hazrat Mullah Tahir (may Allah have mercy on him) is in a state of comfortable dream, 8 km away from Ziarat where devotees are happy to come and attend.

Bhong Mosque Sadiqabad

Asif Jah's Tomb

History of Sharda

Ziarat Residency, Jinnah Stayed here during Illness

Ziarat's real fame came from staying here during the last days of Quaid-e-Azam's illness. When Quaid-e-Azam's illness became severe and doctors advised him to rest completely, he immediately thought of staying in Ziarat.

Ziarat Residency in Summer

So he expressed his desire to his dear sister Madar-e-Millat (Mother of the nation) Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah to go and stay in Ziarat.

Mention of Ziarat in Fatima's book

She wrote about the Ziarat in her book "My Brother": The Ziarat Residency where we stayed was a scenic, old, and two-story building that stood like a diligent watchman on a high mountain.

Its lawns and gardens are vast, with birds singing hymns to God in the early morning and chirping in the evening, a bunch of fruit trees, and flower beds, adding to the beauty of the scene. Quaid-e-Azam was fascinated by this silence and charm.

Beautiful Ziarat Residency

Ziarat Residency, A healthy place to stay

The atmosphere of the Ziarat is a testimony to the fact that Mother Fatima Jinnah came here and served her proud brother day and night. Quaid-e-Azam came at the Ziarat Residency from Quetta on June 17, 1947, and the atmosphere here and his sister's selfless service had a positive effect on his health and he was recovering.

History of Ziarat Residency

The Ziarat Residency was constructed in 1882 at a cost of Rs. 39,000 at that time. Prior to the formation of Pakistan, the building was built as the residence of a representative of the British Governor-General, as Balochistan did not have provincial status at that time.

Peek into the past of this 139-year-old beautiful and unique historic building, so this two-story historic building begins with a 9-foot porch. And the floor, the roof, and the front porch are made of pine wood.

Ziarat Residency (Outer View)

Architecture of Ziarat Residency

After the 9-foot porch, there is a 14*20-foot seating area and an equally large dining room, while two rectangular rooms with baths and showers have been built, one of which is 17.11 feet into 13.10 feet. This ground floor also has a kitchen, lounge, and luggage room, which is enough to meet all the needs of a small family.

To reach the second floor, there is a wooden stairscase in the middle, through which you reach the top. So we are greeted by 4 spacious rooms in front and a 9 feet wide porch.

There are also bathrooms with four rooms. There is also a staircase with wooden fences at the southeast and southwest corners of this historic residence with stone steps.

Ziarat Residency (Porch View)

The walls of Ziarat Residency are made of uneven and rough square stone blocks and cement has been used in their construction.

The sloping roof of the upper floor is made of iron. There was also a pond near this residency and Quaid-e-Azam used to go to this pond for walks.

The scenic beauty of the Ziarat Valley fascinated Quaid-e-Azam. And gardener who was stationed at the Residency, daily adorned the Quaid's rooms with his favorite carnations and roses, the scent of which Quaid liked very much.

Quaid-e-Azam was so fond of Ziarat Valley that he wanted to make it a beautiful and modern city and he also expressed this to his secretary Farrukh Amin on which the secretary said that maybe his dream is a dream come true. The day is over.

Ziarat Residency (Staircase)

The Quaid arrived in Quetta on June 28, 1948 from Ziarat and later on July 14, 1948, along with the Mother Nation, Fatima Jinnah and staff came from Quetta to rest at the Ziarat. Quaid also celebrated the last Eid of his life on August 7, 1948 with his sister in Ziarat and returned to Quetta on August 13, 1948.

Terror Attack on Ziarat Residency

On June 15, 2013, the last residence of Quaid-e-Azam was set on fire by terrorists with three explosions. Due to which this rare beautiful and historic building made of pine and walnut wood was burnt to ashes.

One wonders what kind of animosity the terrorists may face from this historic building located in the most remote part of Pakistan. Their enmity was not with this building but with the ideology and thought of which this building is a symbol.

Ziarat Residency (Drawing Room)

The aim of the terrorists was to strike at our ideological basis in which they seemingly succeeded, but this ideology is part of our perfect religion, on the basis of which this country came into existence, It cannot be erased from the hearts of 220 million Pakistanis and Muslims.

Restoration of Ziarat Residency

After this tragic tragedy, efforts were launched under the leadership of Nayyar Ali Dada, a well-known architect of the country, to revive the Ziarat Residency, although it was a difficult task to do it anew, which could help to restore the original identity and originality of the building.

And the first impression that came to the minds of the viewers was that this building has never been a target of terrorism. And in this test, Nayyar Ali Dada was successful, and he performed this difficult and laborious task with utmost speed and style and restored the building to its original form.

Ziarat Residency (Room View)

The rooms of Quaid-e-Azam and Fatima Jinnah "Mother Nation" have been restored to their original state with great beauty and sophistication. The enchanting view from outside the windows of Quaid-e-Azam's room captivates the tourists.

Their chairs and tables are arranged with such elegance and sophistication that it seems as if Quaid-e-Azam has just left. Ancient-style tall, rectangular chairs with two drawers, low-rise tables represent their unique style and era.

There are pictures of Quaid-e-Azam on the walls. Tables, lamps, clocks, dressing tables, vases, candlesticks, and other necessities of life reflect Quaid-e-Azam's private life.

Ziarat Residency (Inside View)

The decoration of the guest room is very appealing to the visitors, the interior porch, Quaid-e-Azam's lounge, the upper roof, and the exterior frame of the two-story wooden building are all the combination of beauty and balance.

Since the building has been used by guest houses and governors, large kitchens have been built for this purpose, and modern tiles have been used in Quaid-e-Azam's bathroom, and other inappropriate work has been done. All of them have been brought back to their original form and shape.

The restoration of the building with its charming features and beauty is undoubtedly a commendable feat, for which the efforts of Nayyar Ali Dada and his team will always be remembered.

Ziarat Residency (Inside View)

Nayyar Ali Dada (Architect)

Nayyar Ali Dada said that it was a very difficult task to restore this building built by British engineers to its present condition 100 years ago but we had saved and restored the Quaid-e-Azam Residency even 30 or 35 years ago. Because as a guest house here, governors and high officials stayed. And used it ruthlessly in their personal capacity.

We had videos, photos, and impressions from earlier periods, with the help of which this rare and historic building was restored to its original form. In general, British-era buildings are not as beautiful and attractive as they used to be because they were so beautifully renovated and decorated.

Ziarat Residency (Bed Room)

With the help of pictures and videos, exactly the same furniture was made from Lahore and sent to Ziarat residency. The rooms of Quaid-e-Azam and Fatima Jinnah are decorated as they were before the tragedy.