A view of the historic gate before and after being demolished. PHOTO: ABID NAWAZ/EXPRESS
The gate of Katri Baoo Mumtaz, flanked by two lions inside the Sheranwala Gate, was demolished on Monday without permission from the Ravi Town administration, The Express Tribune has learnt.
Katri Baoo Mumtaz was built during the Mughal era. It is a residential locality with very old shops. Following the demolition of the gate, the trail of buildings up to Siddiq Payewala, that includes nearly 15 shops and houses, is under threat from being torn down to build commercial centres, Walled City of Lahore Authority Heritage Expert Talib Hussain said.
When contacted for a comment, Ravi Town Municipal Administrator Sardar Ahad Dogar said that he was on leave and not aware of the demolition. He said that he would take strict action if a violation had occurred.
The man behind the demolition, Chaudhry Fazil told The Express Tribune, “We are planning to construct a huge shopping mall and market along the lines of Azam Cloth Market here. Nobody can stop us from doing that.”
Asghar Ali, a resident who saw the demolition, told The Express Tribune that it was being carried out in connivance with an Auqaf Department official.
WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari said, “The Walled City is under the threat of commercialisation. It would turn this area into a warehouse.” He said that the TMA will penalise Fazil as per law.
WCLA Deputy Director Tania Qureshi, said, “The TMA is supposed to work in consultation with the WCLA.” The TMA has not kept the demolition of the Walled City’s original fabric under check. Their system of checks and balances is lacking, she said, “That is why the land mafia has control of the Walled City instead of the TMA.”
When asked to comment on these allegations, TMA Dogar refused to comment and switched his phone off.
She said if illegal construction in the Walled City was not stopped, the heritage of the area would be lost.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2013.
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@danish xuberi: if government accepts your proposal, they should also demolish all old mosques too, so fresh air and sun could touch our brains. let us stop living in past and start building new ideas about life and manners.
Yes lets demolish and rebuild again else these monuments ( however precious they are to us ) are bound to deteriorate and crumble down . Before it falls on any one , the government should rebuild these monuments .
good work, instead of collapsing on peoples head the heritage gate was removed to allow some air and fresh light. Our whole nation has to demolish these overbearing symbols of heritage - matter or thought - to allow some fresh air and sun light. stop living in past, demolish and reconstruct as per contemporary callings every thing of matter and thought.
So sad!