‘Lodge of Hope’: Karachi’s Freemasons building repurposed for wildlife preservation

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Updated 11 April 2025
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‘Lodge of Hope’: Karachi’s Freemasons building repurposed for wildlife preservation

‘Lodge of Hope’: Karachi’s Freemasons building repurposed for wildlife preservation
  • Freemasons Lodge Building was taken over by government after freemasonry was banned in Pakistan in 1972
  • Freemasonry is a global fraternity viewed with suspicion over secrecy, conspiracies about alleged power and influence

KARACHI: On Karachi’s Strachan Road, where traffic rarely slows and history is easy to miss, a grand neoclassical building stands quietly between the past and the present. 

Known as the “Lodge of Hope,” the building was Karachi’s principal Freemasons Hall, one of four in the city during British rule and standing to date as a reflection of the city’s colonial inheritance and postcolonial socio-political evolution.

Flanked by tall Greek columns, their concrete softened by time, the building now houses the Sindh Wildlife Department’s offices, a natural history museum and a public library. 

But long before schoolchildren and researchers wandered through its storied halls to marvel at preserved specimens of leopards, birds and reptiles, this was a place plagued by secrecy and suspicion.

Built around 1914 after a storm destroyed the fraternity’s earlier structure near the exclusive members-only Sindh Club, it served as the meeting place for members of the global freemason brotherhood whose rituals, symbols and origins trace back to the cathedral builders of medieval Europe.

What began as an elite and exclusive institution gradually became the subject of public fascination and fear, its secrecy spawning stories, conspiracy theories and, in time, an outright ban. 

Freemasonry is a fraternal organization, not a religion, with roots in medieval stonemason guilds, emphasizing brotherhood, charity, and moral development through rituals and symbolic teachings. Controversy surrounding freemasonry stems from a few key factors, including its secretive nature, perceived elitism, religious and political affiliations, and the prevalence of conspiracy theories surrounding its alleged power and influence on world events.

“The masons are those who were called previously the Templars,” explained Dr. Kaleemullah Lashari, a historian and archaeologist who remained associated with the building’s conservation between 2010 and 2014.

“The first Lodge, as the story goes, was constructed where the present Sindh Club [in Karachi] is and while the Sindh Club emerged, and the Sindh Club had this opportunity to expand itself, so the Freemasons Lodge was given another alternate place, which is here on Strachan Road.”

Membership of the lodge was open to anyone — Muslim, Hindu, Parsi or Christian — who embraced the masonic ideals of fraternity and self-improvement but the secretive rituals and symbols raised suspicion.

“The people thought that they [freemasons] were doing something very secretive,” Lashari said. “This is the reason that people used to call it ‘jadu ka ghar’ [house of magic].”

Dr. Tauseef Ahmed Khan, an academic interested in Karachi’s history, described the lodge as an “elite club” during the years of British rule.

“Very few people were given membership, and they were all elite people, noblemen, bureaucrats, and then a lot of conspiracy theories were also spread,” he added. 

“ESPIONAGE”

Among the suspicions was that the Freemasons building was being used for espionage. Subsequently, in 1972, amid political turbulence and rising nationalist sentiment, a staff member of a foreign mission in Karachi, who happened to be a freemason, was accused of smuggling arms into Pakistan, leading to an official ban on freemasonry.

Following this development, the building changed hands several times, briefly accommodating the Press Information Department before falling into disrepair. That changed in 1982 when the Sindh Wildlife Department moved in.

“This place has become a ray of hope for wildlife,” said Javed Ahmed Mahar, a conservator at the Sindh Wildlife Department. “We have also worked on its decoration and embellishment. If you look at its comparative images in the last 2–3 years, you will see that there is a great difference here.”

The building is also home to Sindh Wildlife Library and over 9,000 books.

“There are a lot of rare books here,” Shahid Ali Khan, the dedicated librarian who has served here for four decades, said. “There are a lot of books that are not available in the market right now. These are handwritten books.”

Despite its rebirth, the building still wears its past. Inspired by classical Greek temples with their ornate columns and symmetrical layout, the structure also incorporates Edwardian features such as dual reception rooms flanking the main entrance.

Today, the building is not only architecturally unique but also functionally vital, one of the few government spaces in Pakistan that have been both historically preserved and actively repurposed.

“This is more than just an office or museum,” Mahar said, “it’s our cultural heritage.”


WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day

WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day
Updated 12 sec ago
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WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day

WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day
  • Markhors are large wild goats native to the mountainous regions of South and Central Asia
  • They are Pakistan’s national animal and are currently listed as ‘Near Threatened’ by IUCN

KARACHI: A leading conservation group in Pakistan on Saturday praised local communities for helping protect the endangered markhor species, saying people’s efforts had reversed population decline and expanded habitat ranges, as the country marked the International Day of the Markhor.

Markhors are large wild goats native to the mountainous regions of South and Central Asia, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and parts of the Himalayan range. They are Pakistan’s national animal and are currently listed as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network, due to habitat loss, poaching and human disturbance.

The World Wide Fund for Nature’s Pakistan office (WWF-Pakistan) credited close coordination between communities, conservationists and government departments in regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan for positive conservation outcomes.

“Through capacity-building programs and engagement of local communities in conservation initiatives, a positive population trend has been observed in the markhor species,” it said in a statement.

Observed annually on May 24, the International Day of the Markhor was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2024 to raise awareness of the species’ ecological importance and the need for its protection.

“Conservation is not just about saving a species, but it is about preserving our shared future in harmony with nature,” said Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General of WWF-Pakistan.

The organization noted the International Day of the Markhor was an opportunity to recognize the ecological value of mountain landscapes, raise awareness of conservation challenges and honor the communities that helped pull the species back from the brink of extinction.


Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty

Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty
Updated 24 May 2025
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Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty

Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty
  • Ambassador Usman Jadoon calls access to clean water a fundamental human right
  • He says India announced treaty suspension to cut off the lifeline of 240 million people

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan told a United Nations forum this week India was using river waters as a political weapon by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), warning that Islamabad would not allow New Delhi to cut off the lifeline of 240 million people or turn water into a tool of coercion.

The remarks came during an Arria-formula meeting of the UN Security Council, an informal session allowing open discussion on pressing international issues. The forum was held as tensions escalated following India’s decision to suspend the 1960 IWT.

While New Delhi has cited a recent militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir to justify the move, Islamabad has denied any involvement and warned that blocking Pakistan’s access to river waters threatens regional stability and violates international law.

Addressing the forum on Friday, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, emphasized that access to clean water was a fundamental human right. He condemned India’s actions, pointing out the suspension of the IWT constitutes a grave violation of international law.

“India’s decision to illegally and unilaterally suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, aiming to impede the flow of water guaranteed to Pakistan under the Treaty, is a grave violation of international law, including human rights law, the treaty law and customary international law,” Jadoon said.

He further criticized statements from Indian leadership suggesting intentions to “starve the people of Pakistan,” describing such rhetoric as dangerous and perverse.

Jadoon called upon India to adhere to its legal obligations and refrain from actions that could disrupt the flow of rivers vital to Pakistan’s population.

“We strongly condemn India’s unlawful announcement to hold the Treaty in abeyance and call upon India to strictly abide by its legal obligations and refrain from stopping, diverting or restricting rivers that are a lifeline for 240 million people of Pakistan,” he continued. “We will never accept any such moves.”

The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has been a cornerstone of water-sharing between the two nations. Its suspension marks a significant escalation in India-Pakistan relations, with potential implications for regional stability and humanitarian concerns.


Pakistan to cancel passports, register cases against deported citizens

Pakistan to cancel passports, register cases against deported citizens
Updated 24 May 2025
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Pakistan to cancel passports, register cases against deported citizens

Pakistan to cancel passports, register cases against deported citizens
  • Move follows Middle East complaints over Pakistani nationals involved in begging
  • A committee has also been tasked with strengthening passport rules and regulations

KARACHI: Pakistan’s federal government on Saturday decided to take stringent measures against its citizens deported from other countries for illegal activities by canceling their passports and registering criminal charges, in a bid to curb a growing issue that officials say is tarnishing the country’s international image.

The move follows mounting complaints, particularly from Middle Eastern countries, about public begging and undocumented migration involving Pakistani nationals.

The decision was made at a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad.

“It was decided during the meeting that FIRs [First Information Reports] would be registered against deported individuals and their passports would also be canceled,” an official statement released after the meeting said. “The deportees would be placed on the Passport Control List for five years.”

Earlier this year, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said approximately 4,000 beggars had been deported by Saudi Arabia from 2022 until the end of 2024.

“Deportees are causing embarrassment for Pakistan at international level,” Naqvi said. “Thus, no leniency will be shown to them in the future.”

To further tighten passport regulations, the interior ministry also formed a committee led by the interior secretary.

According to the statement, the committee has been tasked with proposing reforms to strengthen the passport issuance process and enforce stricter scrutiny.

Last month, over 100 Pakistanis deported from various European countries arrived in Islamabad, with officials indicating that many had been involved in fraudulent or undocumented migration.

The latest measures build on earlier actions by the interior ministry aimed at discouraging illegal migration and curbing human trafficking.

Naqvi had previously announced plans to block the issuance of new travel documents to deportees and crack down on travel agents implicated in human smuggling.


Pakistan’s army chief hosts dinner for political leadership, praises their ‘foresight’ during India standoff

Pakistan’s army chief hosts dinner for political leadership, praises their ‘foresight’ during India standoff
Updated 9 min 42 sec ago
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Pakistan’s army chief hosts dinner for political leadership, praises their ‘foresight’ during India standoff

Pakistan’s army chief hosts dinner for political leadership, praises their ‘foresight’ during India standoff
  • The dinner was attended by President Zardari and Prime Minister Sharif along with other top officials
  • Field Marshal Asim Munir hails the military’s performance and the public’s resilience during the war

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief praised the political leadership’s “strategic foresight” during a four-day military clash with India, according to an official statement on Saturday, as he hosted a dinner in their honor for their role in the conflict.

The event followed a brief but intense conflict earlier this month in which both nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged missile, drone and artillery strikes before agreeing to a US-brokered ceasefire.

As part of a series of honors marking Pakistan’s response, the government promoted the army chief, Syed Asim Munir, to the five-star rank of Field Marshal.

“In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff expressed profound gratitude to the political leadership for their strategic foresight during Marka-e-Haq and lauded the seamless inter-services coordination that ensured operational success in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,” Pakistan’s military media wing, ISPR, said in a statement.

The dinner brought together top political and military leaders including President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and service chiefs, as well as leaders from major political parties.

All the participants hailed the military’s performance and the public’s resilience during what officials described as a defining moment for the nation.

Munir also praised Pakistan’s youth and media for acting as a “steel wall” against what he called a disinformation campaign launched by India.

He further acknowledged the role of Pakistani scientists, engineers and diplomats, calling their efforts “critical” to the national response.

The gathering, according to the ISPR, served as a demonstration of unity and reaffirmed Pakistan’s collective resolve to move forward with “renewed strength and cohesion.”


Indian troops shoot dead Pakistani crossing frontier

Indian troops shoot dead Pakistani crossing frontier
Updated 24 May 2025
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Indian troops shoot dead Pakistani crossing frontier

Indian troops shoot dead Pakistani crossing frontier
  • Incident occurred two weeks after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire following a four-day conflict
  • India’s border force says the man crossed the international border and failed to stop when challenged

AHMEDABAD: Indian border troops shot dead a Pakistani man who they said had crossed the international frontier and did not stop when challenged, the force said Saturday.
The shooting comes two weeks after arch-rivals India and Pakistan agreed a ceasefire after a four-day conflict, in which more than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery fire.
India’s Border Security Force (BSF) said its troops Friday evening had spotted “one suspicious person advancing toward the border fence,” which lies beyond the international frontier in Gujarat state’s Banaskantha district.
“They challenged the intruder, but he continued to advance, prompting them to open fire,” the BSF said in a statement. “The intruder was neutralized on the spot.”
A photograph released by the force showed a dead man with greying hair.
The recent conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals was triggered by an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, the deadliest on civilians in the contested Muslim-majority territory in decades.
New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the militants it said carried out the attack, charges that Pakistan denied.