The Narwari Garden, built during the British rule in 1928, is on the verge of collapse due to alleged negligence by the highways department.
The walls have collapsed and many trees at the site have dried up. The bushes made it difficult to enter the garden. No regular personnel had been appointed to look after the garden.
Mohammad Razzaq, a local resident, told The Express Tribune that during the British colonization period, the government had built the garden during the construction of Khushab-Naushehra Road so that travellers from far and wide could stay here.
“A beautiful garden and cool springwater awaited the people during the summer. This is also the first picnic spot for travellers to reach who are on their way to Soan Valley. Even now, people stop here for a while to relax and quench their thirst by drinking cool spring water after which they move ahead.”
Muhammad Naseer, another local, claimed that until recently, there were fruits including malta, mango, date, black plum, and other plants which used to produce the best local fruit. “However, now only a few trees remain and the rest have dried up. The eight kanals garden is now nearing its decline. It has become difficult to get inside. The walls have collapsed due to which the animals enter and cause more damage to the heritage site.”
Reportedly, the garden is now being guarded by some locals.
Social figure Malik Javed Awan said that a verandah was also built here during the British rule to seat passengers.
“In 1983, with the help of philanthropists, the locals demolished the verandah and built a small mosque and constructed tanks to stock springwater. The local people are still benefiting from the springwater tanks.”
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Travelers and locals pray in the mosque, he added. “Washrooms have also been built here but no grants have been given by the government to this heritage site, which is really unfair. Gradually, the best source of entertainment in the region is being taken away from the public.”
He demanded that this garden be given the status of a tourist destination and it should be handed over to the tourism department so that the government can provide grants for its maintenance.
Renowned researcher Imtiaz Hussain Imtiaz spoke about the history of famous orchards of Khushab district and stated that Nawab Ahmadiyyar Khan, the governor of Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah, planted a garden in Khushab city. This garden now is known as Mohalla Baghwanpura.
In 1870, Dardarachand also planted a garden here. Nawab of Khushab Sardar Jafar Khan Baloch planted a garden at the river bank which was flooded, he further said.
“Similarly, during the British rule of 1860, DC Muknab planted the Kehni garden in the Soan Valley which now has the status of a tourist spot. In 1865, Captain Davis built the famous Sodhi Garden where many of the country's presidents and prime ministers, including Prime Minister Imran Khan, have stayed. The Narwari Garden project was completed during the construction of Khushab Tasker Road in 1928.”
The Narwari Garden is the most important of all the gardens that still exist today because it is located between the hills while going to Soan Valley, he added.
Highway Department Sub-Divisional Office Malik Safdar said that there was a bungalow here in the past which was built during British rule.
“People used to rest there during their journey. The bungalow earlier belonged to the highway department but later it collapsed. ”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2021.
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