Pakistan Customs Academy Karachi is located in the erstwhile Imperial Custom House building which 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 Willingdon, 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 Customs House and later on as Customs House till Customs 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 Customs 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, Café 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.