Making way: Five shrines demolished overnight
Five shrines were demolished and eight graves relocated in a late night operation on Wednesday.
The shrines were in the path of the metro bus lane.
The shrines demolished were Baba Chathri Wala at Ravi Road Kasurpura, which had graves of two devotees besides the principal; the graves of Peer Qamar Ali Shah and Peer Dashandy Shah near Camp Jail Ferozepur Road near Ichhra; a shrine at Bohrwala Chowk on Lytton Road; two graves on Peer Ghazi Road near the PTCL exchange. The three graves from shrine of Baba Chatri Wala, including his grave were shifted to Gao Shala. Two graves from Ferozepur Road and one from Bohrwala Chowk were shifted to Miani Sahib and the two graves from Peer Ghazi Road to Guldast Colony, Ferozepur Road.
The operations were supervised by City Administrator Saira Omer, Model Town AC Amna Munir and LDA Estate Management Director Noaman Khan. A heavy police contingent accompanied them. Caretakers of the shrines did not put up any resistance during the operation.
A city government official speaking on condition of anonymity said had the operation been undertaken during the day, there would have been protests. He said the stake holders were taken on board.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2012.
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Even the most strict Muslims' traditions allow any grave to be levelled after 30 years of its first burial. I am sure these shrines must be older than that. Living in the Middle East for some time now, I have witnessed old graveyards being converted completely to other utilities of common interest, mostly public parks.
These shrines were relocated, please change your heading as i got worried thinking they were demolished for good. Please do not sensationalize these type of event and have accurate headings so as not to mislead people.
Why there are so many shrines in muslim worlld? It was good planning on the part of administration to tackle the issue.
GOOD. If a king of England can rest in peace under a car park so can these guys
I thought these shrines contributed towards the cultural heritage of Lahore.
We had some land outside karachi next to national highway. Overnight, the land mafia took over and by morning they had set up a shrine complete with caretakers and devotees from interior Sindh.
Very good step although I'm there was some kind of understanding with these caretakers to begin with hence no resistance. Most probably money, which all this is about really.
This is called good planning ! Kudos to the team.