Al Azam
Al Azam Ltd. was a Pakistani construction company that pioneered low-cost housing for the general public. It was formed during the early 1960s by the former Rehabilitation Minister, Sardar Amir Azam, and his business associate, Muhammad Ali Khan of Rampur.
During the early 1950s, a veteran construction contractor known as Muhammad Ali Khan of Rampur and his younger brother Mehmood Ali came to Pakistan. Muhammad Ali Khan of Rampur only had Rs. 50.000/- left with him so he formed a construction company by the name of M/s. Ali Builders in Karachi, Pakistan. But somehow M/s. Ali Builders went out of business did not accomplish anything. However a lady known as Sikandara Barbara introduced Mr. Muhammad Ali Khan of Rampur to the former Pakistani Rehabilitation Minister, Sardar Amir Azam. Sardar Amir Azam and Mr. Muhammad Ali Khan of Rampur eventually formed a construction company by the name of Al Azam Ltd., With Muhammad Ali khan as the managing director, and Sardar Amir Azam as its chairman.
The Al Azam Ltd. construction company pioneered low-cost housing for the general public. It was formed during 1962-63. When the company emerged in the early 60s, there was no other construction company competing with it in this market. Commencing its operations with a portable typewriter from a small room in a residential house at Sir Syed Road in 1963, Al Azam expanded, and later shifted to a large office at Bambino Chambers in the heart of the city of Karachi. The low-cost apartment projects such as the Al Azam Square and Yousuf Plaza etc., of the '60s constructed by the company were initially very durable and popular. Mr. Muhammad Ali took over control of the business. In 1976, upon the death of Al Azam’s founder and chairman, Sardar Amir Azam, the managing director, Muhammad Ali Khan, took over the absolute control of the company. One of Al-Azam project Mashadi Plaza collapsed killing some laborers and the company's reputation took a nose dive. With the passage of time, the company gradually disappeared from the market. However, the general public still remembers Al Azam as the company that built quality apartments and housing units by its original owner, Sardar Amir Azam Khan. Its more recent projects in the 1990s included the Al Azam Plaza.