Ticklish decision for army chief
Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. — File photo by AP
RAWALPINDI, Feb 17: Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is no stranger to dealing with big, tough security issues. But the one coming to him for a decision is a tricky one – it involves protecting the country’s heritage also.
No one can say what will weigh more with the chief, money or heritage, when the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) presents him next week its plan to raze a century-old cinema and library standing on the expansive six acres of Shah Baloot Park on The Mall, and raise a commercial complex there to improve its financial health.
But, despite the hard, austere future staring the state and the nation, many would wish the heritage wins the vote of the chief of army staff.
Dawn has learnt that some security concerns and legal hitches came in the way of the RCB going ahead with its plans for the invaluable property it holds in the heart of the garrison city.
It was thought multi-storeyed commercial buildings rising at the heritage site could be a security threat to the nearby military establishments such as the army’s General Headquarters, the Military Hospital and the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology.
That, and the ubiquitous NOC (No Objection Certificate) that the RCB needed to convert the trust property into a commercial venture, is said to have brought in the COAS as the decision-maker.
If the army chief approves the RCB plan, routed through the Military Lands and Cantonments branch, the grand old structures of the Odeon Cinema and the Lansdowne Trust Library will be pulled down, and the magnificent tall trees in their grounds uprooted, for a 12-storey commercial complex, flats, a hotel and a shopping mall.
Though named after Lansdowne, the Trust was founded by two Sikh brothers, Sardar Kirpal Singh Rai Bahadur and Sardar Sujan Singh Rai Bahadur, on December 5, 1881, to provide educational and recreational facilities to the residents of the Rawalpindi cantonment.
Lord Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, Marquees of Lansdowne, was Viceroy and Governor General of India from 1884 to 1894.
The transferring deed between English officers and the Sikh brothers said: “We Sardar Kirpal Singh Rai Bahadur and Sardar Sujan Singh Rai Bahadur, having at our own cost built the building known as Lansdowne Institute at The Mall, on ground for the purpose by the Cantonment Committee Rawalpindi, have now the pleasure of formally transferring the said institute to the public on the condition that it be open to all persons, European and native alike, conditional on conformity to rules of management and payment of subscription. The institute will be used as a place of entertainment and instructions.”
Afterwards the building was used as cinema and library.
The Shah Baloot Park has also historical significance. The Sikh brothers used to throw parties for the English officers there.
Offices of the Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards are also housed in Lansdowne Trust building. The RCB is paying Rs100,000 annual rent to the Lansdowne Trust Library, now commonly known as Cantonment Library.
The cinema was closed down in 2008 on the directives of the then Station Commander, Brig Sajjad Azam, as the lessee was not giving the annual rent of the cinema. Since then the RCB has allowed only stamp vendors and typists to run their businesses on the premises of the cinema.
RCB Cantonment Executive Officer Rana Manzoor Ahmed Khan told Dawn that the RCB officials and Station Commander Brigadier Zaman Nasarullah Khan Niazi would give a presentation to the COAS next week on their plan to replace the old structures with commercial plazas.
“We have already done that for the Rawalpindi corps commander and the Quarter Master General but the final decision will be made by the COAS,” he said.
“The design concept of proposed complex revolves around five basic components including hotel, shopping mall, corporate offices, recreation areas like cineplex, health clubs, indoor games, swimming pools and residential apartments,” he explained.
Asked if the Trust can do that legally, considering its basic charter, the officer replied: “Yes. The Trust Act 1882 empowers the Lansdowne Trust to convert its property into a permanent, profitable venture so that it could fulfil its objectives faithfully.”
However, a former president of the Rawalpindi Bar Association did not agree with him.
Advocate Sajjid Bhatti said “the trust’s nature cannot be changed”, because “the trust was established to protect the property for education and entertainment purposes”.
Neither the nature of the Shah Baloot Park could be converted, he said, citing the judgment of the Supreme Court against the commercial use of Islamabad’s Fatima Jinnah Park.
Military Lands and Cantonments (ML&C) Regional Director Sheikh Shahid Bashir said that the RCB cannot execute its plan without the approval of military authorities.
But he did not favour uprooting the park at the site. “It has a historical significance and we should try to preserve it,” he said.
Showbiz personalities also opposed the idea of converting the Odeon Cinema into a commercial plaza.
“The action would further shrink the already limited public entertainment space in the city,” said film and TV actor Sajjad Kishwar.
If private cinema houses like Arena and Cinepax can generate revenue so can the government by refurbishing the cinema houses it controls,” he said.
Though television was providing entertainment to the people, he said there was “a dire need to preserves and promote cinema”.
Actor Batin Farooqi noted that producers were not making films because there were not enough cinema houses in the country.
“Instead of patronising the industry, the government seems joining the race to pull down the existing cinema houses,” he said.
A pertinent analogy: There is a over 100 years old building in the heart of Jhelum city by the name of ‘Ladha Shah Hall,’ later ‘Lajpat Rai Library,’ and now known as ‘Iqbal Library.’ By any account, this is a Heritage Propery, currently under the administrative control of the Municipal Committee. A few years ago, the District Nazim decided to demolish the building and instead build a high-rise commercial plaza there. The library was to get some space on a floor of that plaza as a consolation and to appease the critics that the library was not being shut. So the Nazim went ahead with the lease of the property to a Builder/Developer but was resisted by the elders, notables and general public of the city who all collectively forced the Nazim to abolish his plan of abusing an old iconic building, albeit dilapidated, in the city centre. Two points: (i.) land grabbers and real estate mafia use various ways, tricks, tactics and decoys these days to occupy a land/property that is of value to them. And Heritage properties, Evacuee properties and Green areas are prime targets. The people of Jhelum in this case resisted and saved their Building. (ii.) The younger generation, most of whom are now products of GCSE system and already know little about the history of Pakistan, would know even less of our collective Heritage if we continued playing in the hands of property developers and real estate dons by demolishing/selling our Heritage properties instead of upkeeping them. This is short-selling and short-changing the people of Pakistan. The COAS should, therefore, reject the RCB proposal and rather direct the RCB to renovate, refurbish and maintain these iconic and memorable structures in the Shah Baloot Park on The Mall. Once refurbished, these could always be of invaluable utility!!!
The army is a business and Kayani the CEO has to run the business and keep making profits, distribute lands to appease his team, etc.
A heavily subsidized business at that.
They make so much money from commerce, yet take so much public money. They won’t be able to have it both ways for much longer.
Please don’t allow this kayani Sahab..
Before people go off frothing at the “Jernail” and his “business dealings”, realize that this is military land and the Army Chief is responsible for making a decision about it. The RCB has to do something with the land at its disposal, hopefully the heritage will be retained, unless there are benefits to be had by commercializing the land. Logically its within the purview of the Army Chief to make this call.
When did army involved in real estate business?
Before doing it security matter of army base should be taken into account so intruder can not damage army base using Pakistan terrorist.
This is no heritage, The cinema has no value and a new modern library an replace the old one. This is done the world over but the part could be saved as far as possible.
Heritage? While eliminating all traces of Indian identity you ever possessed, please pull down those old buildings too.. Make some Arabic structures and proclaim them the latest signs of your new identity.
General Kiani is a good businessman. I am sure he would join Muslim League(N) after he retires.
Can the heritage loving people make a good offer? if not equivalent!
What are we really defending? our country or our defence societies…..
You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.
We are defending commercial interest of armed forces
expensive*
whose heritage is this? a century-old cinema and a library?
Pakistan’s. And future generations will be poorer if distinctions are made between “Islamic” and “non-Islamic” heritage.
This spot is one of the last vestiges of what used to be a beautiful Rawalpindi Cantonment.
We have a dismal situation in Pakistan because of our Security Apparatus of Pakistan and Our Army Chief is making plans for new shopping centers and that too in Military Zones??. We have so many threats and last day alone more than 80 Shias were killed and rather than addressing to their problems Our Army chief have the time to discuss about DHA housing Schemes and Commercial Ventures??. May Allah have mercy on this country.
Dead are dead no one can bring them back. This is a life time opportunity to make few bucks after all we have to plan for future.Next we will sell GHQ. In 2012 some 2000 people were killed in Karachi, don’t worry too much about Pakistan Allah will look after Pakistan.
This is just dramaybazi. The fate of cinema is already sealed.
Very true Omar. This is exactly what happened to Falakser Cinema in Peshawar Saddar. The old building was demolished and a horrible plaza was built at that site. Military Estate Officer, Station Commander and the Garrison Commander were all involved. The law says that a building 75 years or above are national heritage but Falaksaer cinema was still brought down as the military claimed that the building was 74 years old.
They can play with history for their sake only.
Gen Kiyani
Please make the right move and help conserve the heritage of the sub-continent
All over the world old structure and buildings are preserved like in Rome and Paris. Old cinema can be refurbished and modernized. There are already dearth of libraries in Pakistan. We must maintain our heritage and history. Nations without history has no future at all. Our decision are responsible for future of our generations. So we must give them space to breath otherwise they will die in stalled air of commercialism.
whose heritage is this . Security concerns shoulld take priority and then comes business