Ewing Hall controversy deepens as govt denies reports of demolition

LAHORE: The Lahore Heritage Areas Revival Board (LHAR) has denied reports that the historical Ewing Hall near Neela Gumbad would be demolished following the government’s takeover of the property, saying the structure would be preserved and restored.

On the other hand, the Forman Christian College University (FCCU) issued another statement, saying that it has been unfairly asked to pay rent for the period from 1975 till 2003 when the FC College was nationalised and it was in the government control. It says that it had replied to the show-cause notices properly.

The controversy emerged after activists and alumni raised concerns over the government’s repossession of Ewing Hall, arguing that the move could jeopardise an important part of the college’s historical legacy. The Punjab government, however, has maintained that the lease had expired years ago and that substantial dues remained unpaid.

The LAHR new statement comes after the Forman Christian College University (FCCU) and activists protested against “forcible takeover” of Ewing Hall from the university and expressed fears that the century-old building could face demolition.

FCCU says it didn’t owe rent from 1975 till 2003 when FC College was under govt control

In a statement on Sunday, the LHAR Board said it wanted to place “important facts” before the public regarding the controversy. It said the building had originally been leased in 1915 to the FC College for use as a student hostel and had remained vacant and unused for its original educational purpose since 2015. It claimed that outstanding rent, Rs107m, payable to the government remained unpaid despite repeated notices and reminders.

The board said the matter underwent a legal process and the Board of Revenue issued a show-cause notice to the lessee in March 2026 and provided an opportunity to all the parties concerned to present their position.

Following hearings, involving representatives of the FCCU, and the Higher Education Department, Member (Colonies), an order was passed on April 27, 2026, resuming the land in favour of the government. Rejecting concerns about the future of the building, the LHAR Board said it had no plans to demolish Ewing Hall.

“We are not going to demolish Ewing Hall,” the board stated, adding that both LHAR and the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) were mandated to protect and restore historical structures to its original form rather than destroy them. The board added that the action was related to legal and heritage conservation issues rather than any effort to target a particular institution or community.

“We deeply respect Forman Christian College and its long history of service to Pakistan. We also deeply respect the minority communities who hold this institution close to their hearts,” the statement said. In a statement shared with Dawn by the FCCU on Sunday, it questioned the rationale behind the government demand for payment of rent from 1975 till 2003 when the institution was nationalised and under government control.

It also asked if the Ewing Hall site is set apart for educational purposes, why commercial rent is seemingly being charged for it. It added that the building was not unused since 2015, rather it was used as a hostel up until COVID-19 when concerns emerged that it was structurally unsound, leading to the vacating of the building.

Even during this period, a Hostel Guardian was maintained in place, with the continued expectation that it would be returned for use as a hostel. Subsequently, the FCCU commissioned a comprehensive structural assessment of the building at a cost of Rs5m, resulting in a detailed engineering report issued in March 2026. On the basis of this report, the FCCU intended to launch a renovation that would allow it to once again be used for hostel. The FCCU was engaged in discussions with the WCLA about the renovation of the Ewing Hall facade.

The FCCU said it still believed that a cooperative approach could result in the protection and restoration of Ewing Hall to its original purposes, one that involves reasonable people talking together rather than a legal process launched through a show-cause notice to which the FCCU responded.

We look forward to that conversation, resulting in a fair and equitable resolution that restores and maintains this historic property while also making hostel accommodation available for future generations.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2026 ...