Polo Ground, Karachi
Park in Karachi, Pakistan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Polo Ground, Karachi, also known as Gulshan-e-Jinnah or Bagh-i-Quaid-i-Azam (lit. 'Garden of the Great Leader'), is a park located on Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed Road and Aiwan-e-Sadar Road in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. This park is spread over 20 acres and has a football ground, Japanese garden, children's recreation area, bird aviary, and jogging tracks. A baradari is also located there. It also has two five-star hotels nearby. The ground also hosts the biggest Eid congregation in Karachi.[1][2]
| Polo Ground | |
|---|---|
| Bagh-i-Quaid-i-Azam | |
| پولو گراؤنڈ | |
 Interactive map of Polo Ground | |
| Type | Urban park |
| Location | Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 24°51′00″N 67°01′24″E |
| Area | 20 acres (81,000 m2) |
| Administrator | Karachi Metropolitan Corporation |
Although the ground is officially known as Bagh-i-Quaid-i-Azam, the former name 'Polo Ground' is still widely used by the people of Karachi.[3]
History
Bagh-e-Quaid-e-Azam has historic significance. It was the venue of the first official march-past of the military parade in front of Pakistani political leaders after independence of Pakistan in 1947. This parade was held here and Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah took the salute here as the first Governor General of Pakistan in 1947. This park was used as a polo ground before the 1970s.[3]
The first Eid prayers were organized by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation at the ground in 1958.[4]
On 26 March 2022, Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab inaugurated a bird aviary at the ground. The 100-foot-long and 45-foot-wide enclosure houses 315 birds, including three pairs of African and Australian parrots.[5]
Football use
Cricket use
The ground sees a multitude of tape ball cricket matches being simultaneously being played in it.[11] It is said that Hanif Mohammad and his four brothers learned the game there in the 1940s and early 1950s.[12][13]