The main objective of the monument was to commemorate mass migration of Muslims of India to the newly-created state

The historic project, Bab-e-Pakistan or the gateway of Pakistan has proved to be the most neglected project in the provincial metropolis of the most populous province, Punjab where successive governments have turned a deaf ear for its completion.

Envisaged in the mid-1980s by the then Governor Punjab Ghulam Jilani Khan and approved by the former President and military dictator Gen Zia-ul-Haq, the project has not been completed even after the passage of more than three decades (37 years).

The site of the Bab-e-Pakistan project is at the Walton Road, Lahore which was the location of the first and largest refugee camp set up by Pakistan soon after the partition in 1947. The selected site measures around 117 acres.

Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and his sister Fatima Jinnah had also visited the place to express their solidarity with the migrating people, camping at the site.

The main objective of the monument was to commemorate mass migration of Muslims of India to the newly created nation-state, struggle for freedom and to pay tribute to the millions of people who sacrificed everything they owned for the noble cause of Pakistan.

The Walton Road migration camp had provided the first home under the open sky for the hundreds and thousands of refugees who migrated to Pakistan in 1947.

Since 1985, this monument has a long history of inaugurations, approvals and endorsements, stretching back to the time of Zia-ul-Haq and including foundation ceremonies presided over by both Nawaz Sharif in 1991, Gen Pervez Musharraf in 2005 and Shehbaz Sharif in 2018.

In the very beginning, the project could not be started because of the sudden demise of Gen Zia-ul-Haq in 1988. Work on the historic project could not be started by successive governments of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the 1990s other than an attempt by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1991.

It is important to mention here that after a national level competition in 1991, architectural design of Amjad Mukhtar was selected by a high-level committee constituted for the purpose. The approved design of Amjad Mukhtar, a graduate from National College of Arts, Lahore was not only reflecting all aspects of the freedom struggle but the Islamic architecture was also followed.

The base of the main structure was to be dotted with tent-like forms and the central monument would be an architectural manifestation of Arabic calligraphy, the towering vertical forms of ‘La ilaha illallah’.

The main monument of Bab-e-Pakistan, as approved, will be 167 ft high comprising auditorium, library, museum & display galleries. It will have a sports complex with indoor & outdoor facilities including swimming pool, gymnasium, squash court, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, tennis, & volleyball.

Under the rule of former military dictator and President Gen Musharraf, another attempt to start the project was made. Construction work started and 2014 was set as the deadline to complete the same but other than small grey structure, nothing could be done on ground.

Former Punjab Minister Col. (R) Shuja Khanzada had also served as the Chairman Implementation Committee Bab-e-Pakistan Project during Musharraf’s era.

During the consecutive tenures of former Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif from 2008 till 2018, the provincial government also did nothing other than legislations.

The Punjab Government established Bab-e-Pakistan Trust to manage the affairs of the project but it remained dysfunctional, even its National Memorial Council could not meet to proceed.

In 2014, to achieve the objective, the Punjab government established Bab-e-Pakistan Foundation while repealing the Trust to provide institutional framework for carrying out the functions as envisaged in the memorandum and articles of association of the Bab-e-Pakistan Trust.

In 2015, after deliberations by a committee constituted by the then Chief Minister Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif and headed by Mr. Momin Agha, the then Secretary Information and Culture Department, the design of the project was modified to make it simple, sustainable and economically viable.

Similarly, in 2018, the Punjab government divided the project into two phases and it was expected to complete it by 2020. The former Chief Minister even hosted a rally near the site to announce the provincial government’s support for the construction of the Bab-e-Pakistan memorial complex.

One last effort by Shehbaz Sharif was made when he had handed over the historic project to the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) for its completion. The PHA had initiated the process to acquire services of a design consultant for developing the national monument but the provincial government was changed after the general elections of 2018 and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took over the reign and once again the project was put on the back burner. The PTI government in 2021 handed over the anticipated project to Business District Development Authority for its construction.

Talking to Bol News, spokesman of the Lahore Business District Development Authority Muhammad Rizwan said the historic project to their Authority was handed over a few months back and they have started the initial work. He said it is in their plan to complete the project and within a couple of months its design will be finalized and then construction work on the monument would be completed within a couple of years.

To a question, Rizwan said the Authority wouldn’t get a single penny from the government to construct this project as they will generate the revenue from their own resources.

“Main purpose of Lahore Business District Development Authority is to utilize barren state land located on prized locations. Our priority would be to construct the historic monument.”

According to the spokesman, the plan is to link the old Walton airport (business center) to the monument and for the same purpose they have auctioned 12 plots of Walton airport and the remaining auction would be done very soon.

After finishing the auction at Walton, he said, their focus towards the construction of the monument would be increased. “The consultant has started his work and they will revive the structure already built and planning for the same is underway.”

Construction of the conference centre may also be included in the future plan, he said, adding an amusement park would also be included in the future plan where different swings will be installed for children to cherish.

According to Rizwan, food courts, sound & light shows, sports complex, Cineplex and library will also be established to facilitate the visitors in the best possible way.

photos: Mohsin Raza/Bol News