Built nearly 130 years ago, Flashman’s Hotel on The Mall was the first luxury hotel to open in the north of the Indian subcontinent.

One of two famous hotels in Rawalpindi – the other being the now-closed Mrs Davis’ Hotel – Flashman’s barracks-style building was once visited by Indian elite and British army officers.

It was, in particular, frequented by English visitors who visited the headquarters of the British Army’s Northern Command in Rawalpindi.

The hotel was founded by Charles Thomas Flashman, the owner of the 9.34 acre property that was then known as 17 or 22 The Mall. In March 1917, he sold the hotel to Associated Hotels of India, a company run by a hotelier from Chakwal, Mohan Singh Oberoi.

After partition, Associated Hotels of Pakistan was incorporated in 1961 to take over running the Associated Hotels of India’s businesses. Its main shareholders were Associated Hotels of India, Oberoi Hotels and other private shareholders.

Flashman’s, Faletti’s Hotel, Cecil Hotel and Deans Hotel were a part of the venture.

According to Flashman’s general manager Ali Akbar Malik, the hotel had a long history of famous guests.

“Former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto stayed in the hotel when he was foreign minister in Ayub Khan’s cabinet. Interestingly, all the meetings of former president Ayub Khan’s cabinet were held in this hotel and major decisions were made in this building,” he said.

However, after the India-Pakistan war of 1965, the Pakistani government declared properties under the Associated Hotels of Pakistan to be enemy properties, whose affairs were to be managed by the West Pakistan Enemy Property Board – the custodian of enemy properties in the country.

“On Sept 28, 1976, the four hotels Flashman’s, Faletti’s, Cecil and Deans came in the custody of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), and since 1976 the PTDC has managed the affairs of the Associated Hotels of Pakistan,” Mr Malik told Dawn.

The other three hotels were privatised in 1999, but Flashman’s remains in PTDC’s custody.

The hotel was built on Khasra No.17 to 22 on The Mall. It was connected to Canning Road, Haider Road, Murree Road and The Mall.

The hotel building itself is an example of British barracks-style hotels, with woodwork in the rooms and halls of the building that has faded with time.

The single-storey building is divided into two portions. One part consists of its main halls, while the other comprises 73 family suites and executive lodges. The hotel’s swimming pool is surrounded by family suites, and the building’s architecture is a mix of Indian and English styles.

PTDC Managing Director Abdul Ghafoor told Dawn the organisation has made two plans to improve Flashman’s and submitted them to the government for funding.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2018