Achievements
The National Archives can be called as the heaven for the scholars/researchers, and through efforts of years
it has proved it affinity towards the scholars/researchers. The National Archives of Pakistan Achievements can be described as:
- Digital Archives offer access to Newspapers, Periodicals, Private Collections and Government Publications contains 1.8 Millions
pages.
- National Archives of Pakistan has established latest Reprographic and Conservation Units.
- It acquired 46 Private Collections and 1600 Titles of Rare Newspapers.
- Recording, Collecting and Preservation of interviews of eminent personalities.
- Published 50 Finding-Aids i.e. Descriptive Catalogs, Guides, Accession Lists of various
Collections/Holdings.
- Accruals of permanent files from various Ministries/Divisions.
- Evaluation and disposal of non current files since 1988.
- Microfilming of vital public records, private collections, newspapers, manuscripts (20 millions pages).
- Recording and preservation of interviews of various eminent personalities both in audio and video format (249 cassettes).
- Publication of “Guide to the Sources of Pakistan’s History” under the auspices of the International Council on Archives”.
The Guide covers the survey of archival holdings preserved by National and Provincial Archives, district archives, museums,
libraries and private collections held by various individuals.
- Holding of 25 short term trainings in Records Management, Conservation and Restoration, Microfilming and Digitization.
- Holding of three international conferences in Pakistan such as:
1. International Symposium on Archives 1982 participated 13 countries and experts
of International Organizations in addition to local delegates.
2. SWARBICA Regional Seminar on “Training Needs and Policies” held in 1989 participated by seven countries of the region.
3. SAARC Seminar on Archives held in 1991 and participated by all SAARC countries. The topic was regional
cooperation in the field of archives.
- Participation in more than 50 international conferences, seminars, symposium and workshops in Europe, Asia, Far East, Africa and
North America in the field of Archives Administration and Records Management besides International Congresses and Round Tables on
Archives under the auspices of the International Council on Archives.
- Holding of International Traveling Exhibition of rare photographs and documents in 1990 in USA, UK, Canada,
France, Holland, Turkey and UAE. The topic of the exhibition was “Pakistan: Genesis and Birth” which was held in connection
with Golden Jubilee of Pakistan Resolution, 1940.
- Holding of similar exhibitions in almost every big city in Pakistan on National Days like Pakistan Day 23rd March,
Independence Day (14th August), Quaid-i-Azam’s birth and death anniversaries, etc.
- Exchange Agreement with the India Office Library and Records, London known as Oriental India Office Record and Collections for free exchange of microfilms
of archival material.
- UNESCO has declared Quaid-i-Azam Papers as World Heritage and inscribed in the Memory of the World Register in July 1999.
- Preservation, Microfilming and Restoration of All-India Muslim League Papers known as the Archives of Freedom Movement.
The collection comprising 624 has been transferred to the National Archives from the University of Karachi in 1994.
- Publication of Bi-annual Journal on Archives titled “The Pakistan Archives” since 1984.
- Reference and research facilities provided to 10,000 foreign and national research scholars e.g. Prof.
Dr. Ziring, Lawrence Stanly, Wolpert of USA, Mr. Aziz Beg, Mr. Sharifudin Pirzada, Dr. Riaz Ahmad and Ayesha Jalal
are the known figures having used these papers.