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    Lawrence Gardens: A Forgotten Imperial Legacy

    Written by: Dr. Dushka H. Saiyid
    Posted on: October 20, 2014 |

    John Lawrence

    As a little girl who lived right across from the Lawrence Gardens, I remember watching a military brass band marching through the Gardens with a ram mascot accompanying the bandmaster waving his baton. The mascot was covered in red cloth, the same as the rest of the band, with the insignia of the regiment embroidered in gold, marching proudly next to the bandmaster, his thick round antlers giving it a majestic look. The music resounded in the park as people collected to watch this delightful pageant.

    Lawrence Gardens were named after the first Chief Commissioner of Punjab, Sir John Lawrence. He played a key role in suppressing the revolt of 1857, and later was appointed Viceroy of India from 1864-69. Lawrence Gardens, renamed Jinnah Park after partition, reflect the imperial vision of those who ruled India.

    Lawrence Gardens Lahore

    Magical morning light filtering through the trees

    These regal gardens were built in 1862, not long after the annexation of Punjab to British India in 1849. Consisting of 172 acres, it has now been whittled down to 142 acres, as the Zoological Gardens have been separated from it and some of its land taken away by the construction of roads. According to its dedicated Director, Mr. Shahid Iqbal, Lawrence Gardens were modeled on the Kew Gardens of London, as were the Eden Gardens of Calcutta, and the administrators of the three were interchangeable. Species of plants were collected from different corners of the empire and used to enrich the botanical gardens of these parks.

    Lawrence Gardens Lahore

    The hill opposite the Fatima Jinnah Park

    This beautifully landscaped park has two hills, a cricket pavilion and three clubs, now reduced to two, and an Open Air Theatre. But the jewel was the Gymkhana Club; originally Lawrence and Montgomery Halls that were later conjoined in the 1860s, and now house the National Library. It is a grand Victorian structure, somewhat reminiscent of a country mansion in Britain that dominates the landscape of the park. The smaller Cosmopolitan Club is right in the center, with its own lawns and the Ladies Club, also known as the Purdah Club, is at the corner of Lawrence Road and the Race Course Road.

    In front of the Gymkhana Club, now the National Library is a large roundabout with fountains in the middle and benches all around it. In the 50s Parsees, most of them old and hunched, used to congregate around the fountains in the evenings, enveloped by a quiet sadness. Parsees were the elite of the Indian society, successful businessmen and professionals, but suddenly the empire had been swept away by the currents of history, and mob violence of partition had vitiated the atmosphere for all minorities. Within a few years, this cultured and sophisticated religio-ethnic group was gone, uncertain about their future in this new homeland for Muslims.

    While there was activity in the Cosmopolitan Club, the Ladies Club was a center for the ladies of Lahore; the Open Air Theater held the annual All Pakistan Music Conference, but it was the Gymkhana Club that was the hub of social activity. I used to cycle to the Gymkhana Club to play lawn tennis; its grounds in the Lawrence Gardens would move to new spots every couple of weeks, as those with worn grass were watered by canal water. The Club had an enormous ballroom with wooden floor, and I watched with fascination as couples swirled by at the New Year’s Ball. That elegant room with grand staircases going up to the balcony encircling the ballroom, now looks decrepit and run down, with a dirty carpet covering the floor. It has become the main reading room of the National Library. The empty and deserted hallway had clusters of seating in its alcoves, while man-sized stern looking portraits of the sahibs who had ruled over Punjab stared down. At the end of the hallway was a beautiful room with walls covered in walnut wood, where parties and get-togethers were held. It has now been converted into a musty dimly lit seminar room.

    Lawrence Gardens Lahore

    Diminished, but still a place of wonder and magic, as one wanders up its hills and tucked away benches to ponder the glory that the Gardens once were. A majority of its trees, over a hundred years old, whisper their secrets having witnessed so much. The Fatima Jinnah Park is still manicured, although no receptions for visiting dignitaries are held there anymore. The hill opposite is as enticing as ever, with old twisting trees, each one a wonder of nature; the plateau at the top of the hill is crowned by a luxuriant tree with benches around it, an escape for sweethearts or those seeking peace and tranquility.  As I climb down on the other side of the hill towards the Zoo, the roar of the lion reverberates in the air despite the noise of the traffic, and the bats are noisy in the trees above, for as the sun rises they are settling down to sleep. My melancholy lifts as I stare at this wondrous creature hanging from the branches of the trees; they are much less in numbers than before, as are the trees they hang from, but they are still there.

    Popular walking tracks have been added, as the distasteful faux mini Shalimar Gardens, but there is much to celebrate in the Gardens, a part of our treasured heritage, although I wish they hadn’t removed the statue of Sir John Lawrence, with a pen in one hand and a sword in the other.

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    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021