Rare Photographic Chronicle Of Quaid-i-Azam To Open At PNCA On August 20
ISLAMABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 18th Aug, 2026) A rare photographic chronicle documenting the formative years of
Pakistan
and the tenure of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as the country’s first Governor-General will go on display at the National Art Gallery (NAG) from August 20, marking Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day.
Title: "Quaid-i-Azam: The First Governor-General of Pakistan 1947–1948"
This landmark exhibition is presented by the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) in collaboration with the Mohatta Palace Museum, Karachi.
Event Details:
- Opening Date: August 20
- Venue: National Art Gallery (NAG)
- Inauguration: Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Division Aurangzeb Khan Khichi (Chief Guest)
Organized by PNCA’s Visual Arts Division, the exhibition is curated by Mariam Ahmed, Director, Visual Arts Division, PNCA.
Highlights:
The exhibition features photographs taken by Ziauddin Barni, recognized as Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s official photographer. Barni accompanied the Quaid on numerous official engagements and captured significant moments during Pakistan’s early years. Notably, his photos document the Quaid-i-Azam’s final days, death, and funeral ceremonies in September 1948.
These images from Barni’s legacy offer an invaluable visual record of a defining moment in Pakistan’s history. The photographs on display at NAG represent only a portion of material preserved from Barni’s personal archive by his family, particularly his granddaughter Zarreen Baqir.
Significance:
Barni’s archive holds historical significance as the first fully identified photographic record of Pakistan’s post-1947 leadership, showcasing both Quaid-i-Azam’s personality and the evolving political landscape of the new state.
Originally presented at Mohatta Palace Museum, Karachi, in 2023, this exhibition is now brought to Islamabad audiences in time for Independence Day celebrations.
Through these photographs, visitors will gain an intimate glimpse into Quaid-i-Azam’s life and the political, social, and institutional development of Pakistan during its initial year of independence.
