• Law officer presents his resignation in LHC
• Judge had ordered action against Lashari for allowing private functions at heritage sites
• Lashari was facing pressure over project to restore Old Wall and Circular Garden by demolishing hundreds of shops
LAHORE: Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) Director General Kamran Lashari has resigned after the Lahore High Court reprimanded him for holding private functions at the historical monuments and protected sites, including the Lahore Fort.
It is learnt that Mr Lashari was also facing severe pressure from the traders as well as politicians since the project of reconstructing the ‘old fortified wall’ around the Walled City and restoration of Circular Garden was approved. There are banners splashed in front of shops from Bhati Chowk to Circular Road, “Jeena Yahan — Marna Yahan” and “Tajiroon Ka Muaashi Qatal Na-Manzoor” by Mutahida Action Committee, Circular Road.
In his resignation addressed to the chief minister, Mr Lashari cited personal reasons, stating that he would be unable to continue discharging the duties of his office and tendered his resignation from the post of WCLA DG. He also stated that it had been a great honour and privilege for him to serve the WCLA as its DG.
“I have endeavoured to fulfill my responsibilities with utmost sincerity and with the motivation to promote the peaceful and rich cultural image of Pakistan, with the aim of attracting both national and international tourism,” he stated.
It may be mentioned that the Punjab Local Government and Community Development (LG&CD) Department had, earlier this month, finalised a mega development plan to protect heritage and promote tourism in Lahore by rehabilitating ancient gates of the Walled City, constructing a rampart around the area, reviving the heritage zone, besides developing the underground parking lots in different old Lahore areas.
The department also had plans to restore the Circular Garden, of which some remains still existed in the shape of greenbelts, while most of its parts had been encroached upon by the wholesale markets.
The government had plans to demolish hundreds of shops, built decades ago, many of them illegally, that had become permanent structures. The traders were resisting any such move and formed a Mutahida Action Committee, Circular Road, to take the challenge. They had launched the protest movement and put up banners and placards on their shops, rejecting any plan to demolish their shops.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) at the Planning and Development Board had approved a development scheme “Conservation and Re-Construction of the Old Fortified Wall and Improvement of the Circular Garden Area around the Walled City, Lahore,” at an estimated cost of Rs1.88bn.
The working party had also approved another scheme of “Infrastructure Improvement and Façade Rehabilitation of the Spice Market (from Delhi Gate to Akbari Gate, Walled City, Lahore)” at an estimated cost of Rs1.005bn.
It may be mentioned that the WCLA was established as an autonomous body in April 2012 and its jurisdiction was expanded across Punjab after the provincial cabinet approval in November 2023. Mr Lashari was serving as its DG since the authority was established.
A Punjab government’s lawyer on Thursday presented the resignation of Walled City Authority Lahore (WCLA) Director General Kamran Lashari before the Lahore High Court (LHC), a day after a senior judge ordered action against him and other officials of the authority for holding private functions at heritage sites, including the Lahore Fort.
Several officials of the archeology and other departments appeared before the court along with Assistant Advocate General Hassan Ijaz Cheema, as Justice Shahid Karim resumed hearing of a petition challenging the handover of the heritage sites, including Lahore Fort, Shalimar Gardens and Jahangir’s Tomb, to the WCLA by the provincial government.
The law officer presented the resignation of WCLA DG Kamran Lashari in the court in addition to a notification transferring control of the historic sites back to the archaeology department.
Mr Cheema pointed out that the court had ordered to transfer the control of the monuments to the archaeology department and to take action against those organising private events at these sites. He informed the court that action had been taken in compliance with the court orders during a meeting chaired by the chief secretary of Punjab. He stated that WCLA DG Kamran Lashari resigned and two officers had been issued show-cause notices.
However, the petitioner’s counsel doubted the government’s intention, saying the actions were merely eyewash and the four historic sites had not been practically handed over to the archaeology department.
Justice Karim directed the chief secretary to also submit complete details of the WCLA officials involved in the violation of the court’s orders by organising private functions at the monuments.
The judge adjourned the hearing till next week.
The other day, Justice Karim had taken exemption to a written reply filed on behalf of the WCLA DG admitting holding of private functions at the heritage sites despite restraining orders passed by the court.
The judge had observed that the admission made by the DG about violation of the court`s orders could not be tolerated. He had suspended the government notifications of 2014 and 2023, which transferred the control of the heritage sites to the WCLA.
Justice Karim had ordered the archaeology DG to immediately take over administrative control of Lahore Fort and other sites.
Rana Irfan Ali, an employee of the archeology department, filed the petition.
Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2025
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