The Imperial Custom House
building dates back to the British Raj and is a blend of British, Hindu and
Gothic architectural style. It was designed by Mr. George Wittet, a Scottish
consultant architect working for the Government of Bombay. Mr. Wittet was also
the architect of the Prince of Wales Museum and the Gateway of India. On 17th
February, 1902, the Bombay Presidency allocated land to the Customs and Port
Authority opposite Qamar House, Eduljee Dinshaw Road. The construction work
started soon thereafter, and a semi circular Victorian style structure
comprising 1400 square meters was completed in 1915 under the supervision of
the Engineering Department, KPT, and the cost incurred for its completion was
approximately Rs.9,74,990/-.
The main construction material
used was stone of sepia color. The other classic features of the building
include its arched doors and windows made of teak wood. Exterior and interior
of the building are simple with high roofs, giving a majestic look.
Lord Willingdone, the Governor of
Bombay, inaugurated this Building on 5th of January, 1916. The first meeting of
the Board of Trustees and Customs was held in the premises on 12th January,
1916. During the First World War, this building was converted into a 500 bed
military hospital for British soldiers engaged in the First World War, and as a
transit camp for three years, from 1916 to 1919. It was named No.1 Indian
General Hospital. From architectural viewpoint, it foreshadows the blending of
the local and exotic elements embolic with stone-based yellowish color and a
central curve encompassing a large dome canvassed beautifully and placed on top
of it, reflecting features of Roman Architecture. The other classic features of
the building are its arched doors and windows. Rooms are spacious with high
ceilings adding a rich value to its adornment.
This building again served as
Imperial Custom House and later on as Custom House till Custom House was
shifted to the newly constructed building beside it in 1986. Since then, this
building has housed the Directorate General of Training and Research (Customs)
DGTR, which has been relentlessly supporting FBR in its initiative of capacity
building of its employees, working closely with other stakeholders, conducting
seminars; workshops and designing training courses etc. The role of DGTR is to
support the FBR's Field formations to become more efficient, focused and
dynamic through extensive professional training and capacity-building of
workforce through human resource development.
Recently, the building has been
refurbished, while preserving its originality. Besides this, a new hostel
building for the newly inducted probationary officers of Pakistan Customs
Service has been built within the premises of this building. This new on-
campus residential facility, "La Maison", is a three storey-facility
with fifteen double bedrooms along with bathrooms. All rooms have individual
PCs, Wi-Fi and other related facilities.
State of the art computer labs,
Auditorium and International Seminar Halls have also been built so that this
institute can to stay up-to-speed with other modern training institutions of
the region. The Kamil Museum of Customs is another new addition to the Imperial
Custom House. It is an embodiment of the evolution of Customs in Pakistan, and
a testament to its vital role in the national economy. It brings together the
history of Customs in the country from 1878 onwards, which witnessed the
creation of the Collectorate of Customs at Karachi, down to the modern times.
The Museum houses photographs, artifacts, original as well as recreated, to
relive the history of Pakistan Customs in its social as well as administrative
contexts.
The library in the Directorate
General was established since the very beginning and has a substantial number
of books encompassing a wide variety of subjects. The main emphasis is on the
acquisition of professional books, relevant to Customs practices, international
trade, economy and law. IT and internet facilities are also available in the
library. The library has been named after Syed Ali Rizvi, who had a life-long
association with the Directorate General, and whose passion and commitment were
behind its evolution into the present, forward-looking institution.
As the academic activities reach
their zenith in the footsteps of the sun, Cafe Douane provides the trainees a
pleasant and enjoyable break, with afternoon lunch in its magnanimous airy
hall, redesigned in the Victorian style, with its wooden ceiling providing a
taste of history. The walls are adorned with posters and photographs, unveiling
the history of the World Customs, and its evolutionary significance from
antiquity to modern times. It instills a sense of great pride and ownership
among the Customs fraternity.
This building was declared as
"Protected Heritage" by the Sindh Government under the Sindh Cultural
Heritage (Prevention) Act, 1994, on September 7, 1995.
On Centenary of D.G.T.R. House (Old Custom House) building, a commemorative postage stamp of Rs.8/- denomination each (Set of 03) is being issued by Pakistan Post on September 6, 2016.
