The photo is courtesy of Mr. Nadeem S. Haroon.
Raju Jamil on Fcebook August 9 2018: Family dispute led to the closure of this amazing hotel. Its open air Disco in a large WELL was unique. I could have have danced there all my life. Wonder years were those. Only a month back I visited the hotel skeleton and went towards the WELL Disco site but got warned of it being inhabited by snakes and scorpions well covered with scary bushes. The hotel structure stands like a mummy slyly smiling at us when we see it right in front of old airport’s stargate.
Ehsan Shahid Anam wrote on Facebook August 10 2018: I do…and if memory doesn’t fail me it was on the left hand side of the road while heading towards the Terminal building and a little short of Midway House which was further up on the right.
Akber Zaidi …… Rounaq Reza and Arif Reza were the owners …… one of them , don’t remember which one, was a PIA Cairo crash survivor …..
Good Old Karachi 
The brothers Arif Raza/Raunaq Raza and their father Syed Zafar Ali were pioneers of Pakistan’s hotel industry. Late Zafar Ali opened Hotel de France in Karachi. Arif Raza, the older of the two brothers, was the PIA Cairo crash survivor. He moved to Islamabad in the ’70s where he opened Hotel Shehrazad and Hotel Shahbagh.
The former Scheherazade Hotel of Islamabad, now houses the ministry of foreign affairs
It is truly nostalgic to catch up with Hostellery de France and know of late Mr Zafar Ali and his family. If you can recall the Shahbag Hotel in good old Dacca (now Dhaka) where Mr Ali had a big share along with the erstwhile East Pakistan Govt. During 1971 Yahya Khan’s army occupied the hotel and used it for their headquarters. After Bangladesh came on to being it was transformed into a Post Graduate Medical Hospital .
My late uncle Raquib became a share holder of Shahbag Hotel holding company in 1953 and was appointed by Me Zafar Ali as the MD. As this he remained till 1971 and faced the wrath of the occupied army as all the employees were left in n the lurch ad the hotel discontinued to function.
I were very fond memories of Mr Zafar Ali and his family, of their visits to Dacca and also to our house for lunch or tea as he would always prefer to retire early after his night cap of soup and toast. He was extremely fond of my uncle and our family. My uncle fourth out of five brothers never married and along with my Grandma remained with my father, the eldest, and us always. I wish if you can forward some line of contact with the family who would be interested to exchange notes with me for old times sake. Thanks to you in anticipation.
Hello everyone I want the contact the sons syed Zafer Ali Arif Raza and Raunaq Raza I want to meet him any one about these two peoples
Hello
It is of sheer coincidence that you write about this hotel. It’s counterpart in erstwhile East Pakistan was Shahbag hotel in Dhaka from 1953 to 1971. The premises were converted into a post graduate medical institute in 1972. It’s first managing director was my uncle(father’s younger brother), Abdur Raquib. Our family kept close contacts with Mr. Zafar Ali and his children. I remember visiting Karachi in early 60s and stayed at the Hostele de France briefly. Lost all contacts with Raza family after Bangladesh became independent.