Oldest Bahria Town employee kicks off work on grand mosque

KARACHI: The groundbreaking ceremony of the latest marvel of Islamic architecture was conducted at Bahria Town by the eldest employee of Bahria Town Karachi, Bahria Town Chairman Malik Riaz told The News.
He said Noshairwan, who is 73 years of age and is a grader operator, laid the foundation stone of the mosque.
Malik Riaz said 200,000 worshippers would be able to say prayers under the roof of the Grand Jamia Mosque in Bahria Town Karachi while 600,000 worshippers would be able to say prayers in the courtyard where huge electric umbrellas will be installed on the pattern of Masjid-e-Nabvi.
He said there is no parallel to Harmain Sharifain and Bahria Town Grand Mosque will be the biggest mosque of the world after Harmain Sharifain.
Meanwhile, a press release said CEO Bahria Town Ali Riaz Malik, VCE Bahria Town Cdre (r) Ilyas, VCE Bahria Town South Zain Malik, DCE Hamid Ilyas and Director Sales Shahid Qureshi were present on the occasion. Also present were a number of religious scholars from various sects along with a huge crowd of Karachiites who highly appreciated the efforts made by Bahria Town.
It said the mosque is being constructed on top of a 60-feet-high hilltop and will dominate the entire town with visibility stretching miles away. The mosque’s design has been inspired purely by Islamic traditions and Islamic architecture stemming from Mughal Architecture of Delhi & Agra, Persian mosques of Isfahan, Turkey and Samarkand. The finest artisans and craftsmen have been selected to engage in the construction that will be a magnificent display of rich Islamic traditions.
The Grand Mosque also includes Islamic University, Islamic Library, Islamic Research Center and a Museum. The exterior blocks will be faced with large sheets of white marble and multiple geometric designs patterns that stem from Islamic Architecture and Islamic traditions. The mosque will have a single-monument minaret towering at 325 feet, making it visible from miles away.
The press release said interior of the mosque will be embellished with traditional Islamic calligraphy and glazed pottery mosaic in ceramics and tiles, as well as a number of types of marble. The chandeliers are being designed using rich elements from Turkey, Iran and Italy, it added.
There will be an outside courtyard inspired by some of the most famous mosques of the Sub-Continent.
This courtyard will serve as an outdoor praying facility as well as a beautifully landscaped emerald green garden surrounded by arch-shaped walls on all four sides, creating magnificent looking corridors.
The Grand Jamia Masjid in Bahria Town Lahore is one of the finest specimens of Islamic architecture and proudly holds the title of being the world’s 7th Largest, and Pakistan’s largest.
The Grand Jamia Masjid in Lahore has quickly established itself as an Islamic icon throughout the region, while the Jamia Mosque in Karachi will undoubtedly create new history in the world of Islamic architecture.