The Orange Line, a transportation project in Lahore is posing threats to a church and heritage sites.
Lahore’s Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church which is beside the GPO in jeopardy because of the Orange Line Project. Government officials arrived at the church few days ago and began measuring the church without permission or prior information of the church administration.
Pastor Hanook Haque is in charge of the Saint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, even had no information about the measurements taken by the government officials. The officials arrived in his absence, one of the church official Jamshaid Rehmat Ullah said, “People came and marked the church in Haque’s absence. We do not even know which portion will be taken or which area they are considering. Our worship will be affected because the entire premises is used for church activities.”
As a result, when Pastor Hanook Haque approached the concerned authorities and tried to get some information regarding the markings done at the church site, however, Pastor Hanook was denied information of any sort.
The church is a private property, and is owned by the Presbyterian Church United States of America. The Presbyterian Church is also engaged in health and education projects in Pakistan. The church which is situated on Nabha Road, is entirely a private property and the church administartion is not willing to accept any compensation amount for the chruch property.
“It’s a private property; even if we are approached and offered compensation we don’t want it. Even if they offer us 50 billion Rupees we will still say no. We are only here to worship,” Jamshaid Rehmatullah said resolutely.
The church has been standing since 1860. Whereas, in accordance with the Antiquities Act, 1975, any building which predates May 1875 is referred to as ancient- seeing this church has the status of ancient and is a heritage of the city. Moreover, this project if completed according to its orif=ginal plan will pose a great threat to the security of the church. It is the church lawn, which might fall into the project’s line.
Pastor Hanook Haque says, “You have the AG office here and the Supreme Court is right next door and we get security because of them. But if they start constructions and break apart the entire front portion and our lawn, we will be completely exposed.
We have been maintaining this building, this heritage from our own personal donations. We get nothing from the government or anyone else. Our community donations from our members go into the maintenance of this place. When we run short of money we hold funfairs and activities, in the very lawn they have marked!”
Apart from Saint Andrew’s Church which is an ancient heritage, the ancient structures of the city like the Shalamar Garden, GOP, Chauburji,
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