Our Founder
Mr. A. K. Khan was the pioneer of Horticulture and Landscape Design in Pakistan and was known as ‘Baba e Baghbani’ (Father of Gardening) for his accomplishments and contributions.
He pursued an undergraduate degree in horticulture from Allahbad University before receiving advanced training in Scotland, UK. However, being a strong advocate for learning, Mr Khan continued pursuing education throughout his career via various study tours in Europe and North America. In 1952 Mr Khan was elected to represent Pakistan in the 13th International Horticulture Congress and in 1984 Mr Khan was elected as the first Asian member of the Landscape Institute London.
Mr Khan started his career in Kabul but later joined the Agriculture Department in Delhi before moving to Karachi prior to partition in 1947. In Pakistan, Mr Khan served in various capacities and after serving his country for 30 years retired as Director Parks and Recreation from Karachi Metropolitan Corporation in 1977. After his retirement
Mr A K Khan founded A K Khan Associates to continue pursuing his mission of progressing the country through horticulture and environmental initiatives. Some of h
is landmark works include Mazar-e- Quaid, Aiwan-e-Saddar, Jinnah International Airport and Mohenjo Daro preservartion project with UNESCO.
Mr Khan’s passion for horticulture could not be quenched through private pursuits and throughout his career he has worked with different segments of society to spread his knowledge and passion. In 1948 he established the Horticultural Society of Pakistan to provide a platform for horticulture and environment enthusiasts in Pakistan. Through this society Mr Khan organised Pakistan’s first Flower Show in 1950 and launched horticulture and gardening classes for amateur and professional gardeners.
In recognition of his contributions Mr A K Khan was awarded the President's Award for Pride of Performance in 1990 and Sitara e Imtiaz in 2010.
Over an illustrious career of 70 years Mr A K Khan has completed hundreds of projects in more than 8 countries, provided formal and informal education to different segments of society, authored six books and has left a lasting impact on the country.
Mr A K Khan passed away at the age of 96 on 6th September 2015.
“He was a tall upright tree. Many saplings grew into big and strong trees under A.K. Khan’s guidance"
-Mehtab Akbar Rashdi