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In spite of the mauling, Arif Hasan believes the architecture of KU is without doubt far superior to anything produced in Pakistan to this day and is of an international standard. “This is a world heritage, it’s not only Pakistan’s heritage,” Hasan says. Architects who come to Pakistan from abroad are completely aghast over this matter and ask why Pakistanis cannot do something to save their heritage.
Arif Hassan has written to the heritage committee and has strongly proposed the university to be listed as heritage under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act 1994. He recommends that an all-Pakistan architectural and planning competition should be convened to save this universal heritage from destruction. “First of all, the university needs to accept that this is something required and, after that, they should hold the competition.” It’s a national project and extremely important. There should be an international jury for this competition the work should be awarded on the basis of that competition.
Ecochard’s archives and all his drawings and thinking that went into the buildings of this complex are currently with the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) in Geneva. On Ecochard’s death, his wife gave these archives to the AKAA. “I have looked at them and they are really exceptional,” Hasan says.
He suggests that the Pakistan Council of Architects and Town Planners (PCATP) can hold the national competition in association with the Institute of Architects (IAP) and perhaps with the involvement of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
It is the responsibility of the architectural profession to protect the physical built-environment and the rapidly disappearing heritage of Pakistan in general and of Karachi in particular
Ismailimail 