A new authority has been established for the restoration and preservation of Lahore’s historical heritage, with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed as the patron-in-chief of the initiative.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Muslim League (N), a meeting was held under the leadership of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. The meeting led to the creation of the Lahore Authority for Heritage Revival (LAHR).
Nawaz Sharif will serve as the patron-in-chief of thesSteering committee for LAHR, and a sub-functional committee consisting of relevant officials has been formed. The meeting agreed to identify and remove encroachments from Lahore’s historical sites.
Sharif directed that alternative spaces and compensation be provided to those affected by the encroachments. A comprehensive plan was requested for the restoration of Lahore’s heritage areas.
The city has been divided into six zones, and work on restoring the heritage sites in all zones will begin simultaneously.
The ongoing work for underground shifting of electrical wires to enhance Mall Road’s aesthetics was discussed, and five locations for underground parking in the city have already been identified.
Proposals for restoring the original appearance of the Blue Dome and the historical buildings along Circular Road, Baghichiyan, and Badru were reviewed, with a decision made to restore them to their original state.
Maryam Nawaz expressed frustration over the encroachments around Circular Road and historical gates, ordering the removal of obstacles to clear the view around Bhatti Gate and other gates.
The restoration of the Lahore Fort, the tombs of Jahangir and Noor Jahan, Shalimar Gardens, Kamran’s Baradari, and other historic sites was also agreed upon. A proposal to create a pedestrian walkway from Shah Alam Market to Bhatti Gate is under consideration.
During the meeting, Nawaz Sharif emphasised that old Lahore is beautiful and needs to be restored to its original condition. He expressed that restoring the lost heritage of our historical landmarks should be seen as a national duty.
He noted that ruining the original and ancient character of cities is an inappropriate approach and compared it to Europe, where even centuries-old palaces and buildings have been preserved in their original form. He said destroying national heritage is synonymous with backwardness.
Sharif stated that restoring Lahore’s historical identity will benefit people across Pakistan, adding that before the creation of Pakistan, Lahore was considered the cultural center of Indo-Pakistan. Due to encroachments, no one prefers to visit the historic markets anymore.
Maryam Nawaz, speaking during the meeting, said work is underway for the restoration of ancient Lahore, and in a few years, the city will look much better.
She asserted that encroachments destroying the character of cities will not be tolerated. She also stressed that merely restoring historic buildings is not enough; maintaining them is equally important.
Maryam Nawaz emphasized the need to raise public awareness about citizenship and announced plans to restore the historical gates of Lahore to their original form.
During the briefing, it was revealed that there are at least 115 buildings in Lahore that are considered historical heritage. Work is ongoing on 48 out of the 75 colonial-era buildings.
Plaques will be placed on the residences of literary figures such as Saadat Manto, Shorish Kashmiri, and others on Mall Road to highlight their significance.
