Jinnah Courts Hostel

Jinnah Courts Hostel is a heritage building and former hostel. It is located at Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road, in the Civil Lines neighborhood of Saddar in Karachi South District, Sindh, Pakistan. The building was built from 1932 to 1933. At that time, it was named the Leslie Wilson Muslim Hostel. But it was renamed after Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

The Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act of 1994 safeguards the Jinnah Courts. This law prohibits any construction, repairs, or rehabilitation at a protected site without required permission. Even the site’s owner must adhere to this rule. Violations can lead to severe penalties, including lengthy prison sentences and substantial fines.

Local bodies and the people of the province built the Leslie Wilson Muslim Hostel with donations. The hostel provided residential facilities for students from across Sindh who came to Karachi to study. The foundation stone was laid in June 1932, and the building was inaugurated a year later in June 1933, at a cost of Rs189,000. The hostel played a significant role during the Pakistan Movement, and Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Father of the Nation, even visited it. After independence, the building was renamed in honor of Mr. Jinnah.

The Sindh Rangers, a paramilitary force now use the Jinnah Courts as their headquarters. In April 1999, the Rangers temporarily moved their headquarters to the Jinnah Courts from their previous location at the Sheikh Zayed Islamic Centre on University Road. The United Arab Emirates government raised objections to its use by the paramilitary troops as it had funded the construction of the SZIC and intended it for educational purposes. As a result, the Rangers had to vacate the SZIC and relocate to the Jinnah Courts.