CultureGilgit - Baltistan
Celebrated photographer, Karim Jan, no more
PT Report
Gilgit – Presidential Award winning photographer, Karim Jan, passed away due to cardiac arrest at a hospital in Karachi, the other day. He was laid to rest in Konodas, Gilgit, in presence of relatives and admirers.
Karim Jan was a celebrated photographer known for his love of nature.
He also held several exhibitions within and outside Gilgit – Baltistan.
Ancestors of Karim had migrated to Gilgit from the neighboring Xinjiang province of China.
Inna lillahi wa ina illhi rejioon . A very sad news and we pray that May Allah rest his soul in eternal peace and give strength to the bereaved family to bear the loss. Ameen
Sharifullah Karachi
How sad. My sincere sympathy and condolences to his bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace.
I will always remember him as a very gentle and kind person. He was a great photographer, very professional.
Mrs Torossian / Vienna / Austria
A very sad tragic news. Karim jan was well known through out GB for his politeness and skill in photo graphy. He has worked a tremendous job to highlight the achievements of NGOs as well as Government activities in world wide. His good manners will be recall for ever. May Allah rest his soul in eternal peace and gave courage to family to bear this great loss.
Ali Mehr
Danyore Gilgit
We are shocked to hear the tragic news of sudden demise of Mr. Karim Jan, a celebrated phtographer and a renowned athlete of Gilgit town. As once I was informed by him that his forefathers were Uzbek Aristocrates and had migrated to Qashaqar during Russian revolution and later migrated to Gilgit town and settled here as devoted muslims.
(late) Karim Jan was our colleague for more than a decade as official photographer and a cameraman. He traveled the whole of Gilgit-Baltistan and district Chitral during his attachment to AKRSP for the pictorial and video coverage of Physical Infrastructural Projects (PPIs) and important meetings with VOs/WOs.
We travelled together to Qashaqar city of Zinjiang Province in China in 1987 to see development models in agriculture and other businesses. His relatives in China, especially, the Chief Engineer of Qashaqar Irrigation system was one of his uncles, perhaps named as Qayyum Jan, who gave us unique protocol, tours to important spots in the city and served our entourage with unique Chinese dishes. Because of Mr. Karim Jan’s libguistic and cultural knowledge, our team members were greatly facilited in Qashaqar city.
Secondly, we trekked together to Gulmuti Nullah (Nala) in 1986, when I was based in Punyal valley as a Senior Social Organizer. He trekked to the upstream Nullah like a deer together with his huge sized video camera. He filmed the blasting work on the canal project for the upper Gulmuti Dass of Punyal valley. I thoroughly enjoyed his company and were amazed with his friendliness and positive attitude with VO representatives and AKRSP staff.
His services to AKRSP were unmatched and will be remembered for a long time. We will miss his presence in Gilgit town as one of our best friends, athelete, cameraman, fineart specialist and a human being.
sir this is a very sad news for all professional persons. Karim Jan (late) was a very professional photographer and he always love to nature. I am lucky that I attend so many photo sessions and programs with Karim Jan. I will never forget when he invited us to his house for Aftar Dinner Party in the month of Ramzan in 2009 at Gilgit when I was there with AKRSP. He also attended photo session of Autumn color in the garden of Major Retired Shahzada K.A.Mulk son of late Shujaul Mulk former Mehtar of Chitral. He was awarded by President Parvez Mushraf but I think he was highly awarded by the people of Pakistan for his love to profession and he alway maintain high prestige of his profession. His smile will always be remember by the people of Chitral and I will never forget when I was speaking in English with him because I considering him a person from Central Asia.
Last year we both attended Shahi Bagh in Autumn season at Ayun where Professor Dr. Abdur Rashid chairman Botany Deptt of Peshawar University was chief guest who was briefing us about different colors of leaf. May Allay keep his soul in entire rest and bestowed the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss. Kindly convey my condolence to his family member. Gul Hamaad Farooqi APP Chitral 03469002167
G
gul Hamaad FAroqi
Indeed a very shocking news. What a human being! I knew this wonderful person, since 70’s . probably the first person to establish his private studio in Gilgit and was a polo player. With AKRSP, right from its inception responsible for documentation of the the program that complimented efforts in exposing the region to outsiders and also attracting funding for AKRSP. He had a wealth documented history- organizational as well as private. His family had provided great shelter support to people of Gojal during the time when there was no one settled in the town. We salute him and his family members.
Last time I did meet him in Peshawar was preparing documentation for RSP- invited by Masud ul Mulk, CEO, SRSP.
I did invite him for dinner but he was too busy with his work! apart from being a professional in documentation, Karim Jan was a humble, honest, down to earth person.
We offer our condolences to the family and pray for his soul to rest in eternal peace.”Ameen”
Darjat and family
Really sad news, I still remember his tips for nice photography
may Allah give strength to the bereaved family and rest the departed soul in eternal peace. Ameen
A very heart hurting and shocking news. what a harmless human being! Although late Karim Jan visited our Organization on dement by our Chief Executive Officer for Photographic and video coverage of different infrastructure projects. During these visits and trips we often met and discussed about our home town Gilgit Baltistan. I also belong to Gilgit Baltistan. On October 21, 2011, we went togather to Chitral. We stayed at Terichmir Hotel Chitral upto October 27, 2011. During our this visit, we visited Bumburate and Rumboor valley. Apperently he was a healthy and active person. He did not tell me about any cardiological or heart problem. we enjoyed our visit and he took many photographs of me at different spots and promised me to give these photograph after reaching at Peshawar but who knew that KARIM JAN SHALL DIEi. After finishing of our job at Chitral, we requested in kind honor of our Chief Executive Officer to allow us to go to home and he allowed but may be the nature did not accept this tour and due to unavoidable circumstance we could not go to our home town. Late Karim jan told me that he has not visited his home for nearly 4 months and this was his desire to visit his home but we could not go to our home town.On Octoer 28, 2011, we returned back. Here in our Peshawar office, he told me that he will go to Karachi to see his relatives at Karachi during Eid Holidays. I insisted that he should go to his home. He said ” Yar Babar Eid ki Chhuttian kum hain aur allaqa bohot dor hy”. On the 2nd day of Eid I heard the sad news of his demise. I can not express my feelings in these few lines. Karim Jan was a loving, gentle, Petriotic, loyal to his home town and very supportive person. May Mola keep his soul in His eternal Peach and give courage his family to bear this irrepairable loss.
Very sad to hear this news. A heartiest condolence to the family and prayers for his soul. He always seemed a dedicated and hardworking to his profession. May God give him peace and patience to this family for this huge loss (Ameen).
Safida Begum
Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajioon. I Was really shocked to hear the the sad news about uncle Karim Jan. My hearltfelt sympathies and condolebnces to BilaL and his imeediate family , Nasreen Gul and her family for this great loss. Iam thinking of you during this difficult time. May Allah rest his soul in eternal peace and give you courage to bear this irrepairable loss.
Salima Yar Khan
How sad. My sincere sympathy and condolences to his bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace.
I will always remember him as a very gentle and kind person. He was a great photographer, very professional.
imran ali qau
Great Nation Loss His Great Artist and Photograph.My sincere sympathy and condolences to his great family. May his soul rest in peace.
I will always remember him as a very gentle, kind, loving and careering Teacher. He was a great photographer, very professional.
Tanveer abbasi
UN-HABITAT
Thank you very much for being with us in these difficult times. Uncle passed away in Karachi on Nov 6 due to heart failure. We took him to Gilgit by road and with lots of family and friends presence, he has been laid to rest. May Allah give us strength to bear this great loss. I request all family and friends to remember him in your daily prayers.
Indeed we lost a great human being, a true professional, a friend cum family member, a supportive, a kind and lively person.
May Allah Bless him as always!!! Uncle-you are with us in our thoughts….. We are proud of you.
Nasreen Gul, Fazal ur Rehman & Family
Islamabad
What a sad news. I knew Karim Jan for long. He was a genuine artist who loved art in all its forms. Leopard was the emblem of erstwhile Northern Scouts. He was commissioned to make a sculpture of the leopard for displaying at the NS Corps Headquarters. He made a masterpiece of it and the piece of art remained displayed until the end of NS in 1975-6. He was a noble and kind human being. Of course he excelled in the art of photography. May Allah bless his soul and give him place in Jannat. May He give strength and fortitude to his family to bear this irreparable loss. Ameen!