About us

Hakam Din was founded by Mr. Hakam Din, a craftsman who made musical instruments in Sialkot, a small city on the Indian sub-continent. Its history began more than one hundred years ago, in the 1890s, when the Royal British Indian Army was in need of Highland Bagpipes and asked Mr. Din to produce them and he did, although at that time, Mr. Din was not able to meet the entire Bagpipe needs of the Army’s bands, he received a letter of appreciation from the Director of Music, Captain A. Eldon of the Baroda State Army. 

The letter stated:

“Dear Mr. Hakam Din, thank you indeed for the supply of eight sets of Bagpipes to the Baroda Army. I have much pleasure in certifying to the quality and very fine workmanship displayed in the Bagpipes.  The finish is excellent. I can strongly recommend them to any band which is considering the purchase of really good Bagpipes at very moderate cost.”

This letter changed the course of Mr. Hakam Din’s life. It encouraged him to plan for increased production, and consequently he opened a new Bagpipe manufacturing facility in 1910.

Hakam Din

Today, in addition to our world class Great Highland Bagpipes, we have developed and are manufacturing Irish Uilleann Pipes, Scottish Smallpipes, Lowland Border Pipes, Irish War pipes, Medieval pipes, Fireside pipes, Parlor pipes and complete Highland dresses/outfits under the supervision and continuous guidance of Mr. Kamal Pasha, Hakam Din's Great-Grandson. 

In the early 1920s, the company diversified into producing drums by a division named AKBAR Manufacturing. Along with its Renaissance range of rope tension Marching drums, It produces complete range of modern marching drums for both. Schools and professionals.

In the late 1920s another milestone was achieved with the start of Hakam Din’s ANWAR Manufacturing division.  ANWAR continues to be the only manufacturer in Pakistan of Brass instruments ranging from Bugles to Sousaphones.

Mirza Ashraf

Anwar Manufacturing, yet another division, has an illustrious history dating back to 1930. This division began its operations by making EUGENE ALBERT's 1875 model 13 key clarinets in Bb & Eb,  which is still in production, both for right & left handed players. Soon it expanded into piccolos, flutes, oboes, and saxophones in the late 1950s. 

Today, in supervision and continuous guidance of Mr. Jamal Pasha, we are making both the Albert and Boehm system clarinets in the key of Eb, C, Bb, A and G, in addition to wooden Piccolos, wooden flutes and wooden Oboes in BAROQUE, SIMPLE, CLASSICAL and BOEHM system. It remains the only producer of such instruments in Pakistan.

In 1929, the Hakam Din Group established offices in Calcutta and Quetta, to pursue business opportunities in Bengal, Balochistan, and neighboring states. 

Mirza Ashraf, the eldest son of Mr. Hakam Din was given responsibility for Calcutta.  Afterwards, he served for 33 years as the Chief Executive of the Hakam Din Group, which benefited greatly from his scientific and musical genius.  The Calcutta branch was closed before the partition in 1947.

Mr. Allah Rakha, the younger brother of Mr. Hakam Din, managed the Quetta office until it was closed because of a massive earth quake in 1930.

Mirza Ashraf

Calcutta Office

In addition to Mirza Ashraf, substantial credit for the subsequent growth and success of Hakam Din group as a manufacturing entity belongs to Anwar Pasha.

In addition to his reputation as an instrument maker and a businessman, Mr. Pasha was also known as a gifted Drum Major. He organized and led the only band in attendance at the celebration of Pakistan’s independence during the visit of Quaid-e-Azam Mohommad, Ali Jinnah “the Father of the Nation”, who promised to visit our factory after independence just before Pakistan became independent in 1947. The Hakam Din Group remains the only manufacturer to be honoured in this manner.

 In 1948, Mr. Jinnah passed away before he could visit our facilities, however, we were pleased to be able to welcome his sister, Mohterma Fatima Jinnah, who honored his commitment to see our factory in his place in 1950.

Mirza Anwar Pasha

From 1947 to the early 1950s the company remained closed, since foreign trade was constrained and there was insufficient domestic demand; e.g., from Pakistan Defense Forces Bands, to allow Hakam Din’s operations to continue.  Nevertheless, the company supported the needs of 110 workers without any profits from business.

In the early 1950s, Field Marshal General Ayub Khan, who was then Commander in Chief of Pakistan’s Army, paid a visit to our factory at our request to evaluate our business problems. This resulted in the creation of Pipe and Brass bands for Pakistan’s Defense Forces, which were completely equipped by the only musical instrument factory in Pakistan.

Mirza Akbar

Recognition for our efforts in the field of music has come from a variety of sources, including: a letter of appreciation from the Office of the President of Pakistan in the late 1950s; personal visits from some of the greatest names in the history of Pakistan; for example: Chief Minister of Punjab Sir Abdul Rub Nishter; Commander in Chief General Moosa Khan; Minister for Industry Hafeiz-Ur-Rehman; Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Zulfiqaar Ali Bhutoo; and President of Pakistan General Zia-ul-Haq, in the early 1980s; and visits by ambassadors from a number of other countries. 

In 1963, a facility was established in Abbottabad, under the supervision of Mirza Asmat Pasha, the grandson of Mr. Hakam Din and formerly the Chief Executive of Hakam Din Group, in order to monitor the service life of our instruments.

Mirza Asmat Pasha

In the early 1960s Pasha Manufacturing was launched, in order to meet the need for the string and eastern cultural instruments of the sub-continent.  Today, PASHA is making Lute, Rabab, Banjo and Ukelele Baroque Banjo. 

Two other divisions allow us to produce complete band uniforms, from head to footgear:  Mahad is a stitching unit, and Rehan is a leather-tanning unit Our fabrics are produced from the best quality wool available and very high quality leather is used in products such as gloves, spats belts and heads for drums and other percussion.

Since its modest inception as a one-man operation, the company has grown to a position of international prominence under the paternal leadership of its founder, with the assistance of his sons. A key factor in this growth is the importance which has always been given to Research and Development.

In the early 1990s, offices were established successively in UK and USA to facilitate continued vigorous business growth.

Hakam Din’s inception and ultimate growth as a group is a fascinating and well known legend in the music world.  With the remarkable progress to date, we now renew our pledge to a future of manufacturing high quality products. We commit the Hakam Din Group to this mission as an expression of our appreciation to our loyal customers.

From the outset, The Hakam Din Group has been a typical family company; indeed, it still is. Hakam Din’s only grandson, Mirza Asmat Pasha, is its Chief Executive.  And it will continue to be so, since the next generation, Hakam Din’s great-grandchildren; Jamal, Kamal, and Talal are already in senior management positions in the company, preparing to continue their family’s proud tradition of excellence.