Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: September 09, 2019 | 
| 中文
The Jinnah Residency at Ziarat (photo credits to Ehtisham Ahmad Farooqi)
Almost three hours away from Quetta is a small hamlet, frozen in time. In 1986, Ziarat became its own district, after being sub-tehsil of the Sibi district. Ziarat, literally meaning Shrine, is named after the shrine of an 18th century mystic Baba Kharwari whose real name was Mulla Tahir. Besides holding significance for the devotees of Baba Kharwari, Ziarat holds two other distinctions; it is home to a unique juniper forest ecosystem, and a residency perched on a pinnacle of the town. That building was the state house of the father of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. It is here that he spent his last 70 days, before being flown back to Karachi, where he breathed his last.
Located at an altitude of around 2,400 above sea level, upper parts of the valley are mesmerizing for their natural beauty, enchanting juniper forest, mountain peaks, springs and streams. Ziarat’s juniper forest is the second largest juniper plantation in the world, sprawled over 126,000 acres. Some trees are believed to be more than 5,000 years old. Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs and referred to as "living fossils" for their remarkable longevity.
The inaugural plaque for the Ziarat Residency (photo credits to Ehtisham Ahmad Farooqi)
Ziarat also had been an administrative center during the colonial times. It still has many impressive colonial buildings that survive up to now, such as the offices of the Agent to the Governor General, Revenue Commissioner, and Civil Surgeon of Balochistan. The residents of Ziarat are mainly Pashtuns, who cultivate fruit such as delicious black cherries and apples of the red kulu variety. The magical Ziarat honey is considered a specialty and “Shinshoab”, lavender like flowering wild bush, grows in abundance.
All this made Ziarat a perfect choice for the Quaid to recuperate from the damage caused to his health by years of relentless political and legal struggle for an independent Muslim homeland. The Quaid-e-Azam’s residency, spread over 8000 square feet in Ziarat, is a national monument of historic significance. Constructed in 1892, it was originally meant to serve as a sanatorium; the arid and dry climate of the region made it a perfect choice for Jinnah, who was suffering from some kind of pulmonary ailment. Jinnah retreated from Karachi to Ziarat in June 1948, at the insistence of his doctor and his sister Fatima Jinnah, both of who accompanied him to the hill station.
The building offers views of the beautiful verdant gardens spread all around the house. It has a cozy, British cottage feel, with a central wooden staircase and natural light coming in from all sides. With five en-suite bedrooms, and a large hall used for receiving guests and as dining area, while a terrace overlooked the valley. The house offered just enough space for the ailing father of the nation and his small entourage. His bedroom was set up on the first floor. One adjoining room was assigned for his staff nurse and the other to his sister. His personal assistant and his personal physician occupied separate rooms on the ground floor.
Jinnah's bedroom (photo credits to the writer)
During his stay in Ziarat, Jinnah continued carrying out official responsibilities. In the words of Fatima Jinnah, his constant companion and sister, “Nature had gifted him with a giant’s strength in so far as his determination to achieve the tasks, that he had set for himself, were concerned but it had clothed that will in a frail body.”
The crockery used during Jinnah's stay (photo credits to the writer)
Lt. Mazhar Ahmed, one of Quaid’s personal assistants, described his days at Ziarat. “Here was neither the heat of Karachi nor the formality of the Governor-General’s House. Here the Governor-General was just Quaid-i-Azam, and Quaid-i-Azam was just a man on a holiday. In the sitting room jokes were cracked, yarns were spun, and discussions were prolonged.” He further recounts, “We raised the Governor-General’s dark blue flag over the quiet house and hoped that the Quaid would rest. But it was not in his nature. The black dispatch boxes arrived each day from Karachi, with M.A.J. stamped on them in gold. They were full of work to be done. My clearest memory of him is of his slim hands, busy with papers.”
Saleh Mohammad was a gardener at the Residency while Quaid stayed at Ziarat. Saleh later recalled, “Every day a table and a chair was laid for him in the lawn and he used to work. It was only a few days before his departure that he stopped working. The Quaid used to walk on the road that goes from the Residency to the swimming pool. He used to walk slowly and appreciate the juniper trees and wild flowers…. There used to be a perpetual and unforgettable smile on his lips. I do not member having seen him without this smile, not even during illness.”
Ziarat residency, front elevation of which adorns the hundred-rupee note of Pakistani currency, still houses many items which the Quaid’s used during his last days. After a vandalism attempt in 2013, the wooden parts of the building were damaged. However, the concrete structure remained fortunately, as did the photographs and commemorative artifacts.
Soon after a restoration effort led by renowned builder Nayyer Ali Dada was started. Dada was a natural choice because of his prior experience with the house, and his history of working with conservation projects. He used the old photographs and documentation from the earlier restoration phases as a reference. A 140 million rupee-project recreated everything, from the powder blue tiles, faucets and commode in the Quaid’s bathroom, to the original wiring.
Jinnah's bathroom restored (photo credits to the writer)
Today, security personnel of Frontier Corps and policemen jointly guard the residency, and all roads leading to the building are monitored. Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) has a motel complex in Ziarat town center nearby, and accommodation can be booked from the PTDC’s offices in Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad.
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