Daily Times

Tell us about your foray into the field of writing and environmentalism and education. How did it all begin for you?

Environment and built heritage has been my forte and passion since I took up architecture as a profession. As a student of architecture, I was always fascinated with the tradition of our building construction, its form and technology, particularly of our region. Sadly, in the 1970s, when I was a student of architecture, our courses of architectural history and building construction focused on western examples such as Greek, Roman architecture, the advances of the Renaissance etc but focus on our regional architecture was almost non-existent. Our teachers were trained with a focus on the international style and modern architecture was in vogue in the west and that’s what we were exposed to. Answers to our question about regional style and local building technologies when raised had limited responses as there was limited literature available. It was when I went for my post graduate studies to MIT (USA) in very specific programme Urban Settlements in Developing Countries that I began to find answers to appropriate design as a response to living styles and culture, available building traditional technologies and socio economic conditions, which shape our built environment. The answers lie in contemplating and research on our traditional patterns of life style and culture rather than copying styles thrust upon us by the Colonists in the previous centuries and currently the west.

You have studied architecture and urban settlements from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology University. What made you come back to Pakistan and practise your passions here rather than working and settling abroad?

MIT sowed the seeds of questioning and the answers could only be found by pursuing my professional practise in Pakistan. The west could not offer me the challenges that I wanted to practice and teach in Pakistan. I wanted to come back and make the difference in the curriculum, the teaching methodology and inculcate a sense of ownership and research amongst the new generation of architects into their own architecture and built form. I went to study on the Quaid-e-Azam Merit scholarship funded by the Pakistan government to learn from one of the best universities of the world and it was also payback time to my country for having by giving me an opportunity! I had always wanted to be a practising architect but on my return from USA, I decided that I should teach and practice and that’s when I joined NCA as it would give me an opportunity to conduct research, teach my students and also be able to apply my knowledge gained in practice to a generation of new architects.

You have had the honour of attending and undergoing international workshops, training programmes and short courses over the course of years. For somebody as blessed as yourself to have travelled abroad to pursue your field of interest, how easier is it to come back home with that knowledge and execute it in your practical work, as opposed to someone who is not that privileged to have gone abroad and studied the similar subject?

Not too many Pakistanis can afford to study in good universities of the developed world – however I believe in Trainer of Trainers – one trainer sent abroad for training can return and teach hundreds of students. Today, we have the Institute of Architects that is doing a service to our profession. A number of professionals who have studied abroad or have proved to be excellent professionals but do not have the time to teach full time in universities are asked to run short courses, deliver lectures. I initiated a similar programme at NCA, Professional Architects Studio Course where an established and qualified professional would run a program for students in the design studio and devote a few hours a week with students and faculty, (keeping in view limited time for the professional) to explain concept and ideas to students for incorporating into their projects of the design studio.

You are the proud recipient of many laurels and awards. What according to you has been your biggest achievement so far?

Not sure if I can answer that. I am still struggling to make a difference. My students who have excelled and made a difference in providing innovative and well researched projects to satisfied clients are my best rewards. My book Multan — a Spiritual Legacy was an outcome of the love for heritage in which for the first time documentation of over 50 monuments of Multan’s rich heritage was conducted and historical back ground of the monument which provides a base for continued future research in the built heritage.

Not too many Pakistanis can afford to study in good universities of the developed world, however I believe in Trainer of Trainers — one trainer sent abroad for training can return and teach hundreds of students

What are you currently working on?

Throughout my career, I have been in practice as well as a full time teacher. There are numerous projects that I have designed and supervised construction however my forte has been projects related to conservation and restoration of the built heritage. Currently, a very exciting project that I am working on with a team of consultants is the revitalisation of the Ravi Ravi Basin. We are all aware that the Ravi today is primarily a sewage nullah downstream of Lahore carrying the sewage and industrial waste of the 10 million population of Lahore. This waste is being thrown into the Ravi through the numerous original storm water drains and nullahs that run through Lahore. The objective of this project arrived at after numerous studies to clean up the sewage at the source rather than constructing large sewage treatment plants on the Ravi. The small nullahs like the one opposite McDonald’s off the main Gulberg Boulevard, nullah running around the walled city, nullah off Guru Mangat Road are being proposed as pilot projects using green technologies like bioremediation and creating wetlands which will clean up the water, remove the stench and the land around the easements of these nullas can be used as recreation areas, parks, with jogging tracks and play areas for children along waterfronts. The primary objective is to bring River Ravi from its contaminated state to a more healthy state that supports functioning and sustainable ecosystems which will provide citizens with river bank activities. I am also designing a number of schools and hospitals, some commercial projects and a number of social welfare projects.

You were recently involved in rehabilitation and tourism promotion activities in Swat Valley. Tell us about your experience working on that project. How successful were you in achieving what you aimed to at the start of the project?

This was a project that was part of ICOMOS-ICORP on the Road project. As President ICOMOS Pakistan, in collaboration with IAP Peshawar, I took up the initiative of conducting research and documenting for filming ICORP – On The Road, an initiative to document post disaster response of the local community to recover cultural heritage. Gandhara heritage faced its greatest threat from the Taliban’s takeover of Swat in 2007-2008. There are fascinating stories of the role of the locals, of the means they used to protect their non-Muslim heritage from destruction. The documentary will be shown internationally by UNESCO and ICOMOS Pakistan’s has prepared a documentary filming behind the camera of the documentary being shot by the international team of filmmakers. Both documentaries will be ready by end of 2019. The documentary shows the rich cultural heritage of swat – its crafts, food, built heritage and the peoples respect for their culture is documented through interviews and actions as proud citizens for protection and promotion of their culture. It shows the resilience of the people of Swat and their pride and love for their culture.

Do you think children’s textbooks educate them affectively about the rich, cultural heritage of Pakistan or should there be more information in course regarding that?

Absolutely not – our textbooks provide a very convoluted history of our Pakistan -our 70 year old country has a history of over 5,000 years – its culture is an amalgamation of all the religions that were practised here from Islam, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism and Buddhism. Our region is a multilayered, multicultural society however our history books focus only on Islam to the extent of stating that Pakistan was conceived upon the arrival of Muhammad Bin Qasin into the region in the 8th Century from Arabia! In order to sanctify Islamic ideology as an article of faith, the textbooks distort historical facts about the nation’s cultural and political heritage. General Zia was responsible for creating conflict and sowed the seeds of dividing society on religious and ethnic lines. Curriculum was revised on religious and ethnic lines promoting hatred which has manifested in the shape of extremism, intolerance, militancy and sectarianism. Children today are taught to destroy anything which is non Islamic including their heritage -they have no respect for their history as they know not the truth!

What is your vision for Pakistan and what does it mean to be Pakistani for you?

I want Pakistan to be a liberal, socialist, progressive nation with citizens of all genders with equal rights “irrespective of colour, creed, caste and religion”, as said by Quaid-e Azam. I would like to see the common citizen given adequate education and skills to be gainfully employed and one with a conscience to be able to take actions which are useful not only for personal gains but for the entire community.

What motivates you to excel no matter what?

I am an optimist and I love my work – I’m not sure as to what I achieve is acceptable to all but I have done it with a clear conscience without prejudice.

We, at Daily Times, consider you one of our national heroes. Who are some of yours?

Abdul Sattar Eidhi, Nusrat Fateh Ali, Asma Jahangir, Kamil Khan Mumtaz, Nayyar Ali Dada, Arif Hassan and Prince Karim Agha Khan (Not a Pakistani national but has done more than any Pakistani in Pakistan) are some of my heroes. The hundreds of our young generation of musicians, singers and tech savvy entrepreneurs whose current works are putting Pakistan on the world map for their innovative work and enterprises.

Achievements

ALL FOR CULTURE

Fauzia Husain Qureshi is a devoted patriot, who works to beautify her country, be it in the capacity of an architect, a planner, a conservationist or an environmentalist. Only, but recently, she took up the initiative of conducting research and documenting for filming ICORP — On The Road, an initiative to document post disaster response of the local community to recover cultural heritage. Currently, she is working with a team of consultants in the revitalisation of the Ravi Ravi Basin.

PROMINENT EDUCATIONIST

Fauzia Husain Qureshi has been the principal of the prestigious university the National College of Arts and has taught there and headed many distinguished departments for many years.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOLAR

Fauzia H Qureshi has taken extensive training abroad for planning of cultural heritage in countries like China, Japan, Turkey, England and the United States.

RAKING IN THE AWARDS

Fauzia Qureshi has many international and national awards, medals and laurels to her credit that include the Design Build Institute of America Honour Award, Best Teacher Award, Quaid-e-Azam Merit Scholarship as well as a gold medal.