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A 200-year-old historic building located at Panel Chowk on Murree Road, opposite the shrine of Talian Shah, has been vacated by the learning division
An illustrative image related to: Heritage site faces commercialisation fears, highlighting key aspects of the story. | Image source: The Express Tribune
Heritage site faces commercialisation fears
A 200-year-old historic building located at Panel Chowk on Murree Road, opposite the shrine of Talian Shah, has been vacated by the learning division after more than six decades, reviving speculation over a senior officer commercial redevelopment strategy allegedly backed by one of Rawalpindi's most influential political groups.
All seven offices of the Sector Learning Body (DEA0 and Sector Learning Officers were reportedly forced to relocate from the centrally located premises to a new Learning Complex housed in Madrassa Millia Islamia in Satellite Town, an area critics say is far less accessible to the general.
The move has effectively cleared the way for the politically influential group's long-standing strategy to develop the highly valuable land - estimated to be worth around Rs100 billion - into commercial plazas, hotels and multi-storey buildings. Only the office of the Director of Learning Colleges remains in the historic structure and representatives fear it too could be removed at any time.
The double-storey building, regarded as a rare blend of European and Mughal architecture, was originally constructed nearly two centuries ago by a wealthy Hindu businessman in the name of his wife as an orphanage, dharamshala and shelter home.
Over the decades, the building has served several purposes. Around 1950, it briefly housed Holy Family Hospital, while for a short period it also functioned as Rawalpindi's jail.
Between 1930 and 1947, royal and British guests arriving from Bombay and Delhi were accommodated there, and it later operated as a province rest house for nearly two decades before learning division offices were shifted there in 1960.
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