Gora Qabristan — Local services in Karachi Division

شاہراہِ ﻓﯿﺼﻞ ﭘﺮ ﻭﺍﻗﻊ ’’ ﮔﻮﺭﺍ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ‘‘ ﻣﺴﯿﺤﯽ ﺑﺮﺍﺩﺭﯼ ﮐﺎ ﻗﺪﯾﻢ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮨﮯ۔ تقریباً ﭘﭽﯿﺲ ﺍﯾﮑﮍ ﭘﺮ ﭘﮭﯿﻠﮯ ﺍﺱ ﺗﺎﺭﯾﺨﯽ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﯽ ﺑﻨﯿﺎﺩ 1850ﺀ ﺳﮯ ﭘﮩﻠﮯ ﺍﻧﮕﺮﯾﺰﻭﮞ ﮐﮯ ﺩﻭﺭ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺭﮐﮭﯽ ﮔﺌﯽ، ﺟﺲ ﻭﺟﮧ ﺳﮯ ﺍﺳﮯ ﮔﻮﺭﺍ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﮩﺎ ﺟﺎﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ۔

ﺍﺑﺘﺪﺍ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﺎ ﺭﻗﺒﮧ ﺩﺱ ﻣﺮﺑﻊ ﺍﯾﮑﮍ ﭘﺮ ﻣﺤﯿﻂ ﺗﮭﺎ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ ﻭﻗﺖ ﮔﺰﺭﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺍﺱ ﮐﯽ ﻭﺳﻌﺖ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﮭﯽ ﺍﺿﺎﻓﮧ ﮨﻮﺗﺎ ﮔﯿﺎ ۔ ﺍﺱ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﮩﻠﯽ ﺗﺪﻓﯿﻦ ﮐﺐ ﮨﻮﺋﯽ ﺍﺱ ﺳﮯ ﻣﺘﻌﻠﻖ ﺣﺘﻤﯽ ﻃﻮﺭ ﭘﺮ ﮐﭽﮫ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮐﮩﺎ ﺟﺎ ﺳﮑﺘﺎ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ ﺗﺎﺭﯾﺨﯽ ﺣﻮﺍﻟﻮﮞ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺍﺱ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﮯ ﻗﯿﺎﻡ ﮐﯽ ﺗﺎﺭﯾﺦ 1845 ﺀ ﺩﺭﺝ ﮨﮯ۔ﺍﺱ ﮐﺎ ﻗﺪﯾﻢ ﺣﺼﮧ ﺷﺎﮨﺮﺍﮦ ﻓﯿﺼﻞ ﭘﺮ ﺑﻨﮯ ﮨﻮﺋﮯ ﻣﺮﮐﺰﯼ ﮔﯿﭧ ﺳﮯ ﺩﺍﺧﻞ ﮨﻮﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺩﺍﺋﯿﮟ ﮨﺎﺗﮫ ﭘﺮ ﻭﺍﻗﻊ ﮨﮯ، ﺟﮩﺎﮞ ﭼﭩﺎﻧﯽ ﭘﺘﮭﺮﻭﮞ ﺳﮯ ﭼﻮﮐﻨﮉﯼ ﻃﺮﺯ ﮐﯽ ﺗﻘﺮﯾﺒﺎً ﭘﻮﻧﮯ ﺩﻭ ﺳﻮ ﺳﺎﻝ ﭘﺮﺍﻧﯽ ﻗﺒﺮﯾﮟ ﺑﻨﯽ ﮨﻮﺋﯽ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﺍﯾﮏ ﻗﺒﺮ ﭘﺮ ﭘﺘﮭﺮ ﮐﯽ ﺍﯾﮏ ﺳﻠﯿﺐ ﭘﺮ ﺍﻧﮕﺮﯾﺰﯼ ﺣﺮﻭﻑ ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﻨﺪﮦ ﮨﮯ، ’’ ﻣﺎﺭﯾﺎ ﮐﺎﭨﻦ ﮐﯽ ﯾﺎﺩ ﻣﯿﮟ ، ﺟﻮ ﻟﯿﻔﭩﻨﻨﭧ ﮐﺮﻧﻞ ﮐﺎﭨﻦ ﮐﯽ ﭘﯿﺎﺭﯼ ﺑﯿﭩﯽ ﺗﮭﯽ ۔ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﻣﯿﮟ 1887 ﺍﻭﺭ 1891 ﮐﯽ ﻗﺒﺮﯾﮟ ﺑﮭﯽ ﺯﺑﻮﮞ ﺣﺎﻟﺖ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﻮﺟﻮﺩ ﮨﯿﮟ، ﺟﻦ ﭘﺮ ﺍﺱ ﺯﻣﺎﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻗﯿﻤﺘﯽ ﭘﺘﮭﺮ ﭘﺮ ﺳﺎﻝ ﺍﻭﺭ ﺗﺎﺭﯾﺨﯿﮟ ﺩﺭﺝ ﮨﯿﮟ۔

ﮔﻮﺭﺍ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﯽ ﺍﻧﻔﺮﺍﺩﯾﺖ ﯾﮧ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﺍﺳﮯ ﺳﺐ ﺳﮯ ﭘﮩﻠﮯ ﯾﻮﺭﭘﯽ ﺑﺎﺷﻨﺪﻭﮞ ﮐﯽ ﻣﯿﺘﻮﮞ ﺳﮯ ﺍٓﺑﺎﺩ ﮐﯿﺎ ﮔﯿﺎ ﺗﮭﺎ، ﺍﺱ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﺮﻃﺎﻧﻮﯼ ﻓﻮﺟﯿﻮﮞ ﺍﻭﺭ ﺳﻮﯾﻠﯿﻦ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﭘﻮﻟﯿﻨﮉ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎﺷﻨﺪﮮ ﺑﮭﯽ ﻣﺪﻓﻮﻥ ﮨﯿﮟ ،ﺟﺐ ﮐﮧ ﺍﯾﮏ ﺣﺼﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺟﺴﮯ ﺍﯾﮏ ﭼﮩﺎﺭ ﺩﯾﻮﺍﺭﯼ ﺑﻨﺎﮐﺮ ﺍﻟﮓ ﮐﺮﺩﯾﺎ ﮔﯿﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ﺟﻨﮓ ﻋﻈﯿﻢ ﺩﻭﻡ ﮐﮯ ﺩﻭﺭﺍﻥ ﺟﺐ ﺟﺮﻣﻨﯽ ﻧﮯ ﭘﻮﻟﯿﻨﮉ ﭘﺮ ﺣﻤﻠﮧ ﮐﯿﺎ ﺗﻮ ﺳﻨﮧ 1942 ﺀ ﺳﮯ 1945 ﺀ ﮐﯽ ﺩﺭﻣﯿﺎﻧﯽ ﻣﺪﺕ ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﻮﻟﯿﻨﮉ ﮐﮯ ﺗﻘﺮﯾﺒﺎً 30 ﮨﺰﺍﺭ ﺷﮩﺮﯾﻮﮞ ﻧﮯ ﮐﺮﺍﭼﯽ ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﻨﺎﮦ ﻟﯽ ﺗﮭﯽ۔ ﺍﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮐﻨﭩﺮﯼ ﮐﻠﺐ ﺍﻭﺭ ﻣﻠﯿﺮ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﻨﺎﺋﮯ ﮔﺌﮯ ﻋﺎﺭﺿﯽ ﮐﯿﻤﭙﻮﮞ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺭﮐﮭﺎ ﮔﯿﺎ ﺗﮭﺎ۔ ﭘﻨﺎﮦ ﮔﺰﯾﻨﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺩﻭﺭﺍﻥ 58 ﭘﻮﻟﯿﻨﮉﺷﮩﺮﯼ ﺍﻧﺘﻘﺎﻝ ﮐﺮ ﮔﺌﮯ ﺟﻮ ﺍﺳﯽ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻣﺪﻓﻦ ﮨﯿﮟ ﯾﮧ ﻧﻮﺍٓﺑﺎﺩﯾﺎﺗﯽ ﺩﻭﺭ ﮐﯽ ﻗﺒﺮﯾﮟ ﮨﯿﮟ۔2005 ﻣﯿﮟ ﭘﻮﻟﯿﻨﮉ ﮐﮯ ﻗﻮﻧﺼﻞ ﺧﺎﻧﮯ، ﻧﮯ ﺍﭘﻨﮯ 58 ﺍﻓﺮﺍﺩ ﮐﯽ ﺍٓﺧﺮﯼ ﯾﺎﺩﮔﺎﺭ ﮐﻮ ﺑﺎﻗﺎﻋﺪﮦ ﺳﻨﮓ ﻣﺮﻣﺮ ﮐﯽ ﻣﺪﺩ ﺳﮯ ﺗﻌﻤﯿﺮ ﮐﺮﺍﯾﺎ ﺍﻭﺭ ﺍﺱ ﭘﺮ ﻭﺍﻗﻌﮯ ﺳﮯ ﻣﺘﻌﻠﻖ ﺗﻔﺼﯿﻼﺕ ﮐﻨﺪﮦ ﮐﺮﺍﺋﯽ۔

ﺫﺭﺍﺋﻊ ﮐﮯ ﻣﻄﺎﺑﻖ 1930 ﻗﺒﺮﯾﮟ ﮨﯿﮟ ،ﺟﻦ ﻣﯿﮟ 3 ﻻﮐﮫ ﮐﮯ ﻗﺮﯾﺐ ﻟﻮﮒ ﺩﻓﻦ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﯾﮧ ﺑﺎﺕ ﯾﻘﯿﻨﺎً ﭼﻮﻧﮑﺎ ﺩﯾﻨﮯ ﻭﺍﻟﯽ ﮨﮯ ﻟﯿﮑﻦ ﺣﻘﯿﻘﺖ ﯾﮩﯽ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﮔﻮﺭﺍ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﯽ ﺍﯾﮏ ﻗﺒﺮ ﻣﯿﮟ 3 ﺳﮯ 4 ﺍٓﺩﻣﯽ ﺩﻓﻦ ﮨﯿﮟ، ﺟﮕﮧ ﮐﯽ ﮐﻤﯽ ﺍﻭﺭ ﻣﺠﺒﻮﺭﯼ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎﻋﺚ ﮔﻮﺭﮐﻨﻮﮞ ﻧﮯ ﺑﮍﯼ ﻣﮩﺎﺭﺕ ﺳﮯ ﺍﯾﮏ ﻗﺒﺮ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺍﯾﮏ ﺳﮯ ﺯﺍﺋﺪ ﻟﻮﮒ ﺩﻓﻨﺎ ﺋﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔

ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺑﺮﻃﺎﻧﻮﯼ ﺭﺍﺝ ﻣﯿﮟ ﮐﺮﺍﭼﯽ ﮐﮯ ﮐﻠﯿﮑﭩﺮ ﺳﺮ ﮨﯿﻨﺮﯼ ﺍﺳﭩﯿﻮﻟﯽ ﻻﺭﯾﻨﺲ ﮐﯽ ﺑﯿﻮﯼ ” ﻓﻠﺲ ﻟﻮﺋﺲ ﻻﺭﯾﻨﺲ “ ﮐﯽ ﻗﺒﺮ ﺑﮭﯽ ﻣﻮﺟﻮﺩ ﮨﮯ۔ﻓﻠﺲ ﻟﻮﺋﺲ ﮐﯽ ﻗﺒﺮ ﭘﺮ 30 ﺟﻮﻻﺋﯽ 1912 ﺀ ﮐﯽ ﺗﺎﺭﯾﺦ ﺩﺭﺝ ﮨﮯ، ﺟﺒﮑﮧ ﻗﺒﺮ ﻣﻐﻞ ﺩﻭﺭ ﮐﯽ ﻃﺮﺯ ﺗﻌﻤﯿﺮﭘﺮ ﺑﻨﺎﺋﯽ ﮔﺌﯽ ۔ ﺍﻥ ﮐﮯ ﺷﻮﮨﺮ ﮨﯿﻨﺮﯼ ﺍﺳﭩﯿﻮﻟﯽ ﺳﮯ ﺍﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﺑﮩﺖ ﻣﺤﺒﺖ ﺗﮭﯽ، ﺟﺲ ﻭﺟﮧ ﺳﮯ ﺍﻧﮩﻮﮞ ﻧﮯ ﺑﯿﻮﯼ ﮐﯽ ﯾﺎﺩ ﻣﯿﮟ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﮯ ﮐﻮﻧﮯ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺍﻟﮓ ﮐﻮﭨﮭﯽ ﺑﻨﻮﺍﺋﯽ، ﺟﻮ ﺍﺱ ﻭﻗﺖ ﺭﮨﺎﺋﺸﯽ ﺍٓﺑﺎﺩﯼ ﮐﮯ ﮔﮭﯿﺮﮮ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺍٓﭼﮑﯽ ﮨﮯ،ﮐﻮﭨﮭﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺩﺍﺋﯿﮟ، ﺑﺎﺋﯿﮟ ﺍﻭﺭ ﺳﺎﻣﻨﮯ ﻭﺍﻟﯽ ﻃﺮﻑ ﺳﮯ ﻣﺴﻠﻢ ﺍٓﺑﺎﺩﯼ ﮐﮯ ﮔﮭﺮ ﺑﻦ ﭼﮑﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔

ﺗﺎﺭﯾﺨﯽ ﻟﺤﺎﻅ ﺳﮯ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﯽ ﻋﻤﺮﺗﻘﺮﯾﺒﺎََ 170 ﺳﺎﻝ ﮨﻮﮔﺌﯽ ﮨﮯ، ﻟﯿﮑﻦ ﻋﺠﺐ ﺍﺗﻔﺎﻕ ﮨﮯ ﮐﮧ ﺍﺳﮯ ﺍٓﺛﺎﺭ ﻗﺪﯾﻤﮧ ﻧﮯ ﺍﺑﮭﯽ ﺗﮏ ﺗﺎﺭﯾﺨﯽ ﻭﺭﺛﮧ ﻗﺮﺍﺭ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﺩﯾﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﻗﺒﺮﯾﮟ ﺍﻧﺘﮩﺎﺋﯽ ﭨﻮﭦ ﭘﮭﻮﭦ ﮐﺎ ﺷﮑﺎﺭ ﮨﯿﮟ، ﺟﺒﮑﮧ ﺑﮩﺖ ﺳﺎﺭﯼ ﻗﺒﺮﻭﮞ ﮐﮯ ﺗﻮ ﺍٓﺛﺎﺭ ﺑﮭ معدوم ﮨﻮﮔﺌﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ﺑﺎﺭﺵ ﮐﮯ ﺩﻧﻮﮞ ﻣﯿﮟ ﯾﮩﺎﮞ ﭘﺎﻧﯽ ﮐﺌﯽ ﮐﺌﯽ ﻓﭧ ﮐﮭﮍﺍ ﮨﻮ ﺟﺎﺗﺎ ﮨﮯ ﺍﻭﺭ ﺍﺳﯽ ﭘﺎﻧﯽ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺒﺐ ﻗﺒﺮﻭﮞ ﮐﻮ ﺯﯾﺎﺩﮦ ﻧﻘﺼﺎﻥ ﭘﮩﻨﭽﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ﯾﮩﺎﮞﺎﯾﺸﯿﺎ ﮐﯽ ﺑﻠﻨﺪ ﺗﺮﯾﻦ ﺻﻠﯿﺐ ﺗﻌﻤﯿﺮ ﮐﯽ ﺟﺎﺭﮨﯽ ﮨﮯ ﺟﻮ 140 ﻓﭧ ﺍﻭﻧﭽﯽ ﺍﻭﺭﺍﺱ ﮐﯽ ﺑﻨﯿﺎﺩ 20 ﻓﭧ ﮔﮩﺮﯼ ﮐﮭﻮﺩﯼ ﮔﺌﯽ ﮨﮯ۔

ﺍٓﺑﺎﺩﯼ ﮐﮯ ﺑﮍﮬﻨﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﺑﯿﺸﺘﺮ ﺧﺎﻧﺪﺍﻥ ﻧﮯ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﺳﮯﻣﻠﺤﻘﮧ ﻋﻼﻗﻮﮞ ﻣﯿﮞ رﮨﺎﺋﺶ ﭘﺬﯾﺮ ﮨﻮﮔﺌﮯ۔ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﯽ ﺟﻨﻮﺑﯽ ﺩﯾﻮﺍﺭ ﮐﮯ ﺳﺎﺗﮫ ﻭﺍﻗﻊ ﺑﺰﺭﭨﺎ ﻻﺋﻦ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺭﮨﻨﮯ ﻭﺍﻟﻮﮞ ﻧﮯ ﺍﮮ ﺑﯽ ﺳﯿﻨﯿﺎ ﻻﺋﻦ ﺍﻭﺭ ﮐﻮﺭﻧﮕﯽ ﺭﻭﮈ ﮐﯽ ﻃﺮﻑ ﺟﺎﻧﮯ ﮐﮯ ﻟﯿﮯ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﻣﯿﮟ ﺳﮯ ﮔﺰﺭﮔﺎﮦ ﺑﻨﺎﻟﯽ۔ ﺩﯾﻮﺍﺭﯾﮟ ﻣﺴﻤﺎﺭ ﮐﺮﺩﯼ ﮔﺌﯿﮟ، ﻟﮩﻠﮩﺎﺗﮯ ﺩﺭﺧﺖ ﮐﺎﭦ ﺩﯾﺌﮯ ﮔﺌﮯ، ﺳﺒﺰﮦ ﺍﻭﺭ ﭘﯿﮍ ﭘﻮﺩﮮ ﺧﺘﻢ ﮐﺮﺩﯾﺌﮯ ﮔﺌﮯ ﮨﯿﮟ۔ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﮯ ﭘﯿﭽﮭﮯ ﺑﮍﮬﺘﯽ ﮨﻮﺋﯽ ﺭﮨﺎﺋﺸﯽ ﺍٓﺑﺎﺩﯼ ﻧﮯ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﮐﮯ ﺍﯾﮏ ﺣﺼﮯ ﮐﻮ ﮐﻮﮌﺍ ﮐﺮﮐﭧ ﭘﮭﯿﻨﮑﻨﮯ ﻭﺍﻟﯽ ﺟﮕﮧ ﮐﮯ ﻃﻮﺭ ﭘﺮ ﺍﺳﺘﻌﻤﺎﻝ ﮐﺮ ﺭﮐﮭﺎ ﮨﮯ۔ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﻥ ﺍﻧﺘﻈﺎﻣﯿﮧ ﮐﯽ ﺟﺎﻧﺐ ﺳﮯ ﺑﺎﺭ ﺑﺎﺭ ﮐﮩﻨﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺑﺎﻭﺟﻮﺩ ﺭﮨﺎﺋﺸﯽ ﺍٓﺑﺎﺩﯼ ﻧﮯ ﮐﭽﺮﮦ ﭘﮭﯿﻨﮑﻨﮯ ﮐﮯ ﺳﻠﺴﻠﮯ ﮐﻮ ﺧﺘﻢ ﻧﮩﯿﮟ ﮐﯿﺎ ۔ﭘﮩﻠﮯﺍﺱ ﻗﺒﺮﺳﺘﺎﮞ ﮐﺎ ﺍﻧﺘﻈﺎﻡ ﮐﺎ ﺩﯾﮑﮫ ﮐﺮ...

One of the oldest graveyard in Pakistan. The original consecration of the Karachi Christian Cemetery was in 1845 during colonial rule but there is a tombstone set in the wall near the main gate of the cemetery bearing the date 1843.

The graveyard covers an area of around 20 acres.

After the independence in 1947, the British High Commission in Karachi invited the members of the various Christian bodies to form the Karachi Christian Cemeteries Board.

Its official name is 'Maseehi Qabraistan' (meaning Christian Cemetery). There is some evidence that an even older Christian cemetery existed on Muhammad Ali Jinnah Road near an area known as Eidgah. Having fallen into disuse it has since been built over with commercial establishments.

In May 2002, the mutilated body of American journalist Daniel Pearl was found in the graveyard. No one knows how it was dumped there.

In 2016 it was reported that 300,000 bodies were registered to be buried here. However, there is space for only 3,000 graves, which means each grave has been used one hundred times over...

The British Empire's era graveyard offers a solemn glimpse into the past, serving as a poignant reminder of the colonial history that shaped the region. Each tombstone tells a story, reflecting the diverse lives and experiences of those laid to rest during this period.

While the graveyard's upkeep may vary, it serves as a testament to the lasting impact of colonialism, both in its physical presence and the narratives it preserves. Visitors can't help but feel a sense of reverence and reflection as they wander through the rows of graves, contemplating the lives of those who once walked the streets of the empire.

As we honor and remember the past, it's essential to approach such sites with respect and understanding, acknowledging the complexities of history while striving for reconciliation and remembrance. In doing so, we pay tribute to the individuals who shaped our world,...