The forgotten Bagh
Shadbagh, the first housing scheme after Independence, is suffering from neglect but can regain its glory with little attention of the authorities
By Fakhar-ul Islam
Barren or damaged greenery, ruined verdure of parks and encroached green belts are the hallmarks of this oldest and historic housing scheme of north Lahore.

Thick smoke could still be seen rising from the godown of petrochemicals and materials used in shoe-making on Multan Road even on the sixth day after the accident. The godown caught fire on October 23 at 1.00pm and it remained on fire for several days. "Till last night the place was on fire," said a girl living in the neighbourhood house, whose windows were broken to give way to the firefighters and whose outer wall is all black now because of the week-long fire and smoke.

Apart from 67 types of chemicals, sheets used in soles of footwears were also stored on two acres of land in Qazi Town on Multan Road, Lahore. It is those sheets, a man at the site said, which are still burning and emitting smoke. "Removing them would be unwise as that may spark fire," said a worker at the site of accident. There was a good stock of nails as well.

Cracks have appeared in the adjoining buildings and the houses are probably not safe but people are living there. Where should they go?

"Luckily, the wind was on the other side. Had it been on this side, it would have wreaked havoc on the residences. This godown was not in the knowledge of the Environment Protection Department or they would have done something about it," says Mian Shahbaz, President of Model Welfare Society Qazi Town.

How did the fire break? It seems unimportant now. The more important question is how come people living in the godown's vicinity were oblivious of the presence of highly inflammable chemicals there.

This place, which caught fire, has been used as store for 25 years. There was only one drum here in the beginning and for a long time a person would bring a drum here and then take it away. Nobody cared to find out what did he keep in that. Then the number of drums grew, still nobody inquired what was there in them. It was, when the place caught fire, that it came to the fore that there were 67 types of chemicals in those drums, learnt TNS.

Mian Shahbaz says, "Nobody could stand 1000 feet within the radius of the blazing fire. Drums would shoot up like missiles when the chemicals in them caught fire. Luckily, no life was lost here though a boy across the road was killed when he tried to get a better view of the fire from his rooftop and fell down."

It took 14 fire vehicles (carrying water) and two rescue vehicles (equipment carrier) to put out the massive fire. 1122 operator number 1 says, "The fire brigades had to go six kilometers to Thokar every time to get water. The plazas and factories don't have hydrant system which means proper water supply system for the purpose on the ground floor. In developed countries all big buildings have this. Then the narrow lanes make it difficult for the fire vehicle to enter. As the hose gets longer, water pressure reduces.

"Chemical fire takes 24-36 hours to extinguish. The best way to approach it is to cover the sides first, to hold the fire from spreading. Securing surroundings takes 2-3 hours. In case of chemicals a certain kind of foam is mixed with water to extinguish fire which is called smothering system," says the 1122 operator.

Mian Shahbaz was praise for the 1122 team which worked tirelessly to overcome the fire.

The day the fire broke electricity supply to Qazi Town remained shut for 24 hours and gas supply was also stopped. The residents, The News on Sunday talked to, said the fire seemed to engulf the whole area. They felt a real life threat.

Behind the chemicals store house is the famous Naqshbandi Store. The person at the counter says, "We had gone to offer Juma prayers when we learnt from people there that fire was blazing behind our store. We were scared like anything, believe me, not knowing what was there in store for us. It seemed as if the fire would enter here anytime. We did not know if we would stay safe but God has been very kind."

Qazi Town on Multan Road, near Kharak is still unsafe. Though its Welfare Society has asked the government and the Enivornment Protection Agency to remove the hazardous chemicals and one entrance to the godown has been sealed, there are many other hazardous places in the area which have come to light as a result of this fire.

One, there is a school next to this huge store house, property of the same person, Sheikh Naeem who owns the godown. As you enter the school, there are imported wooden boxes on the right corner of the school verandah, stacked next to the wall. The school has been given on rent to Jamaatud Dawa.

Two, there is a rubber storage site on one kanal plot at the entrance of Qazi Town where tyres and rubber sheets are kept. That too has to go, the area people say because if rubber catches fire, it may be more dangerous. Besides, it is in the heart of the residential area.

Three, behind the plaza on the front, is a web of electricity wires and a long row of gas metres installed next to that in a narrow lane with residences on both ends. The Wapda authorities must look into it and put the wires in place – make them safe.

There used to be a dye factory here as well which was removed in 2004 with the efforts of the residents of the area. It emitted toxic fumes and was seen as polluting the area badly.

All the hazardous businesses need to be removed from residential areas, is everybody's demand.

A few days ago while going through my son's math notebook, I was faced with a big ethical question: should I tell a fifth grader that his teacher is wrong about a particular word problem? Apparently the language of the problem had eluded the teacher and she had instructed and marked an incorrect solution. What to do; corrupt an innocent mind with 'disrespectful notions', or ignore the whole thing? When I discussed the problem with a friend who teaches at the same school, she promptly replied, "But you can't tell a student to go against a teacher." Why not? I wanted to ask, but didn't. She was a teacher too, wasn't she?

Resorting to a more rational approach I sat with my son and solved the problem with him, eliciting an answer rather than teaching it. He saw the point but had a very logical question to ask: "If I go by your method, will I get a cross in my notebook?" "But it's not my method honey, it's the correct method." I wanted to say, but instead rephrased the statement just in time. "Ok, here's the deal," I said in my I'm-the-coolest-mum voice, "You have two options. Decide according to what you think is right." With bated breath I waited for a nine year old to take an informed decision. I didn't have to wait long. "I think I'll do what the teacher says," he piped, "don't want a cross on my notebook." Decision taken, practical and to the point! Well great, but then why did I feel so let down? He is too young to know, I argued with my self.

Sometimes we, in our smugness, think that people are too young or too ignorant to know right from wrong. What we fail to recognize is that older or not, educated or not, right or not, people at least know their own problems better than those who try to solve them.

This reminds me of another incident when my cook brought her sister to me, placing great faith in my worldly wisdom, to solve her problem. The problem was a strange love triangle. The cook's sister S had been in love with boyfriend B for a long time, but had ended up marrying husband H simply because boyfriend B turned out to be an ass with no money. A few years and a daughter later, S realised that her husband's mother was a nag, hence she left husband H to marry boyfriend B. The twist in the story was that the husband refused to divorce so the love birds changed their religion, doing which automatically nullified the marriage. Now a few more years and two sons with boyfriend B later, S is tired of the boyfriend with no money and wants husband H back in her life. After all he earns well, and the nagging mother too, has passed away. Technically she is still married to the husband. The only thing she has to do is to revert to her original faith. Her problem is a fear of legal persecution by the boyfriend.

Trying to solve her problem in earnest I asked her a few simple questions like what she really wanted, whom she really loved and the teachings of which religion tugged at her soul more strongly. Her answers were equally simple. She wanted economic stability, loved both men just like her phoophi's husband had loved both his wives, and as for religion, well baji jee just tell me this, adopting which religion will stop the police from coming after me?

The conventionally conditioned part of me wanted to cry hoarse at the lack of 'ethics', 'deteriorating values' and so on; while the rational part of me marvelled at this victim of hunger, harassment and suppressed individuality, trying to fight the system in her own way. As for the writer part of me, well, it was simply amused. I had a story to tell.

Our society too is divided as such. We have the moral brigade, the civil society and the media, each at loggerheads over issues social, moral and economic. It's Kerry Lugar Bill these days and most of us have an opinion. What we don't do is to for once ask the people about what they want. They might be too ignorant or uninformed to go through the complexities of the text, as Governor Salman Taseer pointed out in his elusive political wisdom. They might even commit the intellectual crime of saying Kerry Lugar and atta in the same breath, but at least these ignorant, illiterate masses would be able to tell what their problem is. They don't care who solves it. It could be Meera or a Martian for all they care. As long as somebody listens to their cry for help, and does something about that electricity bill, it would at least be a beginning.

Town Talk

Exhibition of works by Humaira Abid opens on Nov 5 at Rohtas Gallery.

An art exhibition titled "Patrons of Oh! My God I Can Buy Art!" at Grey Noise art gallery in

Lahore till Nov 15.

Musical Evening at Faiz Ghar, 126-F, Model Town on Monday, Nov 2 from 6-8 pm. Performances:

Ustad Basharat Butt, Mohammad Jawwad, Amjad Ali, Jamshed Daudi, Shahwar Matin &

Mohammad Aslam (Tabla).

12th Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Alzheimers Disease on Sat, Nov 7 to Tue, Nov 10.

For Further details contact:

Dr. Imran Ijaz haider, Secretary Scientific Committee, Assistant Professor and Head Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences,

Fatima Memorial Hospital, Shadman, Lahore.

Ph. 0301-8433434, e-mail: drimranhaider@gmail.com

The Punjab government has hired a new consultancy firm for the delayed project on conservation of Lahore's Walled City, a heritage of the provincial metropolis, The News on Sunday has learnt.

In the first phase of the Walled City conservation project, the area from Delli darwaza (Dehli Gate) to the qilla (Lahore Fort) called Shahi guzargah (Royal Trail), would be restored. The consultancy firm, ACE, is management consultant of coordinated technical design, implementation plan and construction supervision.

Punjab government's Sustainable Development of Walled City Lahore Project (SDWCLP), in partnership with World Bank and Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan (AKTS-AKCSP), was conceived in 2006. World Bank provided loan for Punjab Municipal Improvement Services Programme from which US $6million were allocated for the Walled City restoration project.

The project, supposedly to be completed in 2010, faced a set back in 2007 when the AKTS team submitted an analytical report, terming the previously made technical recommendations and procedure of work devised by the Punjab government, flawed and lacking integration. For the purpose, new homework was done and finally a new design consultant firm has been hired last week to finish a new integrated design work for the pilot project, which will be hopefully completed in the next six months.

The purpose of the project is regeneration of the Walled City of Lahore as a historic city of immense value in terms of cultural heritage, economic opportunities and tourism-related businesses.

It aims at rehabilitation of the urban fabric -- of residential and commercial areas, in and around the Walled City, simultaneously bringing about improvements in quality of life of the citizens, creating income generation opportunities through the enhancement of skills.

It also aims at conservation of the architectural heritage: monuments as well as public and private buildings of lesser importance, including historic homes. Open public spaces in the Walled City and improvement of infrastructure services sensitive to historic neighbourhoods are also in the project.

The government is preparing a legislation draft to redress the main issues like encroachments, administrative hurdles etc. The draft, which is in the final process, will also give the Walled City separate administrative control to execute the restoration project fully and independently, Orya Maqbool Jan Abbasi, Director General SWCDP told TNS.

"This is a big project which needs special care and may take years," he said, adding, "The problems are sensitive and immense for which a lot of homework is required."

The project to conserve the Walled City needs special public awareness and sensitisation for its proper execution, which does not seem feasible unless proper homework is done, The News on Sunday has found.

Ongoing commercialisation and citizens' stakes with it are the greatest threat. Transportation is a major issue which needs to be centralised and streamlined. Many areas need to be compensated or given a substitute place to continue their business activities.

"First of all you have to understand the nature of the beast to grasp it," says Masood Khan, Technical Director AKTS-AKCSP working on the project, adding AKTS joined this project at the end of 2007. He said the previous study of NESPAK (National Engineering Services of Pakistan) was not feasible because it involved a disintegrated approach to dealing with agencies concerned like WASA (Water and Sanitation Agency) tele-communication networks and WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority) infrastructure. These agencies are supposed to make a proper plan on how to remove or put underground their respective networks.

He opines that the construction of Ring Road would reduce the transport rush. "We do not want to throw this commercialisation out but to weaken this relationship so that the businessmen themselves opt for other better places to shift their business," he said.

AKTC-AKCSP is also providing advice to the government in the conceptual framework relating to urban heritage and its protection in the framing of the new law. "So far, we have conducted baseline topographical and economic activities' surveys and prepared an inventory of as many as 22,800 properties existing in the Walled City," he mentioned.

The consultants also prepared a strategic plan for moving ahead with operational aspects, identifying projects and doing social mobilisation. They have developed an operational GIS (Geographical Information System) of the Walled City in which they have maps and details of every property. AKTS is now identifying priority buildings which need conservation and have architectural beauty.

Masood said that the AKTS has also started a pilot project of restoration and social mobilisation in Surjan Singh Street.

Importantly, the Punjab government has hired a number of consultants to execute this project which include AKTS, a major partner in developing framework for infrastructure for the entire Walled City. Then there is new firm ACE and another company Safeguard for social and economic impact. There are separate social mobilisers as well working with the Punjab government.

Tahir Yazdani Malik, independent heritage management consultant said, "There is need to prioritise this sensitive project. There are a lot of sensitive issues like encroachments etc and we need to start work in areas where there is no problem. Delhi Gate was restored in British era. Ahead of this gate is Chitta Gate and there is no encroachment outside it so this can be restored in an easy and quick way. Similarly, there are some Hindu and Sikh structures on the way to the Royal Trail from Delhi Gate and there are no issues with them. You also take the example of Begum Shahi (Mariam Zamani) mosque, which has no encroachment issue as such and it is a historic place," he said, suggesting that work should be done on that because being a mosque no one would oppose its conservation and restoration.

He laid emphasis on the need to create a lot of public awareness to deal with this project. He also calls upon the need to boost local tourism so that the citizens become aware of the importance of their heritage and think of improving it.

vaqargillani@gmail.com

Barren or damaged greenery, ruined verdure of parks and encroached green belts are the hallmarks of this oldest and historic housing scheme of north Lahore.

In the beginning, this housing scheme was the most expensive area of the metropolitan because of a number of gardens here, a 100-feet wide boulevard with 30-feet green belts on sides, broad streets with green area and 10-12 small parks for each residential block.

The whole scheme, really, was a Shadbagh; happy garden. It was planned with the idea that whenever a resident of the scheme opened his door, greenery would greet him.

Shadbagh housing scheme is the first of the oldest schemes, Samanabad is the second one. Both the schemes were planned and designed by the Lahore Improvement Trust (LIT) just outside the walled city. Being adjacent to the main commercial hub of Lahore city, that is Akbari Mandi, Landa bazaar, Brandreth Road, Shah Alam Market, Badami Bagh and Misri Shah, Loha Market etc, most businessmen preferred to have residence in this newly established housing scheme. Samanabad was planned further from the main Lahore city.

Muhammad Khurram, owner of Rado estate agency, also a resident of Shadbagh Scheme, told TNS that no one liked to migrate from this scheme because of its landscape and other beauties. He said there are a number of examples where people who moved to other places but came back here within few months.

According to the local residents, including general councilor Iftikhar Mehmood Butt, UC 23, Shadbagh scheme was actually designed on the pattern of the British army settlement which was something like this:

Three and a half marla quarters for soldiers, five to seven marla houses meant for non-commissioned officers and 10 marla banglows for officers. Another resident of the area disclosed that the pipes installed along the water reservoir tank have date of manufacturing engraved on them which is 1912. This means the scheme was planned before partition but was established and developed after partition.

Initially, established in 1935 under the British rule, the Lahore Improvement Trust (LIT), was an organisation which dealt with the issues of metropolitan developments of Lahore. In 1975, as an expedient in the public interest to establish a comprehensive system of metropolitan planning and development in order to improve the quality of life in the metropolitan area of Lahore, the Punjab government established an integrated metropolitan and regional development Authority i.e. Lahore Development Authority (LDA). Soon after, the LDA took over the administrative charge of all the projects and housing schemes of Lahore.

Regretfully, contrary to its mission statement, LDA could not establish a comprehensive system of metropolitan planning and development in order to improve the quality of life especially in view of Shadbagh housing scheme. It has become a symbol of poor planning, official negligence and lack of interest of the authorities concerned.

Encircled by Misri Shah, Wassan Pura, Taj Pura and new Shadbagh areas, the LDA scheme Shadbagh could only get seven letters for its different blocks from the whole alphabets. There are only seven blocks A, B, C, D, G, X and Z. Why these blocks are not in alphabetical order and why some blocks are missing remains a question. The LDA authorities have no answer to this.

Normally, uniform letters are assigned to different blocks in a housing scheme in alphabetical order, an LDA official confirmed. I don't know why it is so in case of Shadbagh, he further said.

Nobody in the Town planning department was ready to take the responsibility of the Shadbagh area. Director Town Planning III, Sheikh Abdul Qayyum simply refused to respond to the questions posed regarding Shadbagh, arguing that this area is not in his jurisdiction and referred to Director Town Planning II, Chaudhry Muhammad Akram. The office of the Chaudhry Akram also refused to take the responsibility of the Shadbagh housing Scheme. No one knows who is actually the concerned authority regarding Shadbagh.

According to Ghazali Saleem Butt, the Nazim of Union Council 23 Shadbagh, the Parks and Horticulture Authority PHA does not take care of any park situated within the jurisdiction of LDA scheme Shadbagh. "I have written almost a dozen letters to improve the condition of the parks situated in residential blocks of the Shadbagh scheme to Director PHA for Shadbagh area but in vain," Ghazali Butt complained. The residents of the area look after the parks as their own, he added. He also assured that the city district government is also planning to launch an operation against the encroachers in order to restore the actual beauty of the area.

Ali Nawaz Shah, Director North (circular garden area) PHA, strongly rejected these allegations and maintained that the authority's human resource is fully committed to their jobs. "There may be some parks which might have slipped our attention; however I will check personally this area to rectify the complaints," he assured.

But a bird's eye view of the Shadbagh Scheme has revealed that this historic and beautiful scheme is deteriorating due to lack of proper maintenance and care. The LDA authorities and the PHA high-ups along with city district government can save and further develop this housing scheme .