LAHR meeting discusses Lahore’s heritage revival

LAHORE – Several major roads in Lahore do not officially exist in municipal records under their commonly used names, and many historical name changes were never legally approved, officials revealed during a session of the Lahore Heritage Areas Revival (LHAR). The meeting brought together architects, historians, journalists and urban planners to discuss Lahore’s cultural and historical identity and ways to preserve the city’s heritage. LAHR participants discussed the importance of restoring old names of roads, streets and areas as part of a larger effort to protect Lahore’s history, culture and traditional identity. They also talked about how such steps could help heritage conservation, tourism and public awareness. According to the Lahore deputy commissioner, records of the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore do not contain official notifications for the renaming of around 21 major roads, 18 traditional streets and 11 chowks and localities. Officials said only Nicholson Road was formally renamed through legal procedure under the Roads and Streets Rules 1981. The road was renamed after Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan. The meeting was informed that most road names currently used in Lahore developed over time through public usage, historical references, old maps and signboards rather than official government approval. The session was attended by Waqar Ahmad, Personal Secretary to Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Mariam Khan, Ali Raza, Babar Ali, Jehangir Nasir, Nayyar Ali Dada, Kamil Khan Mumtaz, Kamran Lashari, Sajida Vandal, Dr Kanwar Khalid, Muneeza Hashmi, Raees Ansari, Zohaib Butt, Saad Zahid, Wasif Nagi, Ahsan Raza of Minute Mirror, Faheem Ahsan, Iqbal Qaiser, Dr Mehboob Hussain, Dr Fauzia Qureshi, Hafza Ali, Farrukh Sohail Gondal, Salman Rashid, Talha Safiq, Mubbashar Hassan, Mujeeb ur Rehman Shami and Zeeshan Hussain. A list of 21 roads discussed during the meeting showed that several well-known roads are now commonly called by unofficial names. Officials said the issue