Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodge

Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodge is a historic dak bungalow and tourist accommodation site in Kohala, in Muzaffarabad District, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. It is also known as the Barsala Tourist Lodge, Dak Bungalow, and Quaid-i-Azam Memorial Rest House. The lodge stands on the route toward Muzaffarabad, close to the Kohala Bridge, a major crossing and entry point into Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It is approximately 100 kilometres from Islamabad, 40 kilometres from Murree, and about 3 kilometres from the bridge. The building originated during the period of Dogra rule, when dak bungalows served as travel and administrative rest houses. Its later significance derives principally from a documented stay by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan and the country's first governor-general, and his sister Fatima Jinnah. On 25 July 1944, while returning from Srinagar toward Rawalpindi, the two stayed at the lodge. This association transformed the building from a historic roadside rest house into a memorial and heritage attraction linked to Pakistan's independence history. The site preserves material connected with the visit, including a chair traditionally identified as having been used by Jinnah. A commemorative wall plaque was unveiled at the lodge on 14 August 2001 by Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, then prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The memorial interpretation of the building therefore combines regional architectural history, the political history of the late British Indian period, and the public memory of Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah. The lodge was seriously affected by the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that struck the Muzaffarabad area on 8 October 2005. The Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir subsequently undertook restoration efforts through the AJK Tourism and Archaeology Department. Following repair work, the site continued to function as a tourist point and reportedly provided seven rooms for visitors. Its role is consequently both commemorative and practical: it is a heritage destination for visitors travelling through the Kohala and Muzaffarabad region and an accommodation facility associated with the area's mountain tourism. There is limited publicly documented information about the lodge's commercial structure, management, pricing, ownership arrangements, or contemporary brand strategy. It is best understood as a named heritage lodging property and public tourism site rather than as a widely distributed consumer brand. Its identity rests on the preservation of the historic building, the Jinnah connection, and its location along a scenic route into Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodge is a historic dak bungalow in Kohala, Muzaffarabad District, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The building was originally constructed during the rule of the Dogra dynasty, when dak bungalows formed part of the travel and administrative network used across the region. Such buildings provided accommodation and rest facilities for officials and travellers moving through mountainous territory. The lodge acquired national historical importance because Muhammad Ali Jinnah, later Pakistan's first governor-general and widely known as Quaid-e-Azam, stayed there with his sister Fatima Jinnah on 25 July 1944. They were travelling from Srinagar toward Rawalpindi. The visit took place before the creation of Pakistan and became part of the site's later memorial identity. The building is consequently also referred to as the Barsala Tourist Lodge, Dak Bungalow, or Quaid-i-Azam Memorial Rest House. The property is situated near the Kohala Bridge, approximately 3 kilometres away, on the road toward Muzaffarabad. Its location places it within a travel corridor connecting Islamabad and Murree with Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It is described as roughly 100 kilometres from Islamabad and 40 kilometres from Murree. In addition to its historical association, the lodge functions as a tourist attraction for visitors travelling through the area. Physical objects and commemorative features reinforce the site's memorial role. A chair associated with Jinnah's stay has been preserved at the lodge. On 14 August 2001, Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, then prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, unveiled a wall plaque commemorating the 1944 visit. The plaque and preserved chair allow the site to present both a personal connection to Jinnah and a broader narrative about the region's place in the history of Pakistan's independence movement. The building was damaged during the 7.6-magnitude earthquake of 8 October 2005, whose epicentre was in the Muzaffarabad area. The Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir initiated efforts to restore the heritage property. Repair work was carried out through the AJK Tourism and Archaeology Department, after which the lodge continued to serve as a tourist point. Following restoration, it was described as having seven rooms for tourists. The available record provides little information about the lodge's commercial administration, ownership structure, annual performance, pricing, or individual managers. Its significance is primarily cultural and geographic rather than that of a conventional national hospitality chain. The lodge's enduring identity comes from its historic fabric, its position on the route to Muzaffarabad, its association with Muhammad and Fatima Jinnah, and its continued use as a visitor facility.

• 2005

  Earthquake damage and restoration

  [1]Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodgeen.wikipedia.org

  The lodge was damaged by the 7.6-magnitude Muzaffarabad earthquake on 8 October. Government authorities later repaired and restored the tourist and heritage site.

• 2001

  Memorial plaque unveiled

  [1]Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodgeen.wikipedia.org

  A commemorative plaque marking Jinnah's visit was unveiled at the lodge on 14 August by Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, then prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

• 1944

  Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah stay at the lodge

  [1]Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodgeen.wikipedia.org

  Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his sister Fatima Jinnah stayed at the lodge on 25 July while travelling from Srinagar toward Rawalpindi.

• Construction during the Dogra period

  [1]Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodgeen.wikipedia.org

  The building was established as a dak bungalow during the rule of the Dogra dynasty. The precise construction year is not identified in the available reference material.

A heritage-oriented tourist lodge and memorial attraction combining historic accommodation, regional travel infrastructure, and commemoration of Muhammad Ali Jinnah's 1944 stay.

• Hospitality

  Tourist accommodation

  The lodge provides accommodation for visitors travelling through Kohala and toward Muzaffarabad. After restoration following the 2005 earthquake, the property was described as having seven rooms for tourists. Detailed room categories, amenities, and rates are not identified in the available sources.

• Cultural tourism

  Heritage and memorial visit

  The property functions as a heritage attraction connected with Muhammad Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah's stay in 1944. Visitors can see the commemorative plaque and a preserved chair associated with Jinnah, subject to the site's operating and access arrangements.

• 2005

  Restoration after earthquake damageStrategy

  Background

  The lodge was damaged by the 8 October 2005 earthquake centered in the Muzaffarabad area, placing the historic building and its tourism function at risk.

  Action taken

  The Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir undertook restoration work through the AJK Tourism and Archaeology Department and repaired the tourist site.

  Aftermath

  The lodge continued to operate as a tourist point and was described after restoration as offering seven rooms for visitors.

  Source

• 2005

  Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodge damaged in the Muzaffarabad earthquake[1]Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodgeen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The historic lodge was damaged by the 7.6-magnitude earthquake centered in the Muzaffarabad area. Restoration work was subsequently undertaken by the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir through its tourism and archaeology authorities.

• 2001

  Commemorative plaque unveiled at the lodge[1]Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodgeen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A plaque commemorating Muhammad Jinnah's 1944 stay at the lodge was unveiled on Pakistan's Independence Day by Sardar Sikandar Hayat Khan, then prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

1. 1Quaid-e-Azam Tourist Lodgeen.wikipedia.org