PESHAWAR: The Governor’s House was opened to public here on Sunday and students of three government girls colleges were the first to visit the historic building and meet Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government had announced to open such historic government buildings to public and Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and then Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar welcomed public mostly female students of different public sector universities into the Governor’s House. Similarly, the KP governor also welcomed students of three government degree colleges into the Governor’s House on Sunday.

The students who visited the British-era Governor’s House in Peshawar came out filled with excitement and impressed with the massive building, its stature and lush green lawns.

Students of three girls colleges first to visit the historic building

Mahrukh Yousafzai, a student of Government Girls Degree College, Kohat Road, Peshawar, said she enjoyed the visit, but such huge buildings should be used for educational purposes. The PTI government intended to use the building for some other purpose, but had delayed the decision since the Governor’s House was located in red zone.

“I think the PTI government should set up a public sector university for the poor and deserving students here,” suggests Mahrukh.

Shujaat Fatima, who explained the palatial building and lush green lawn of the building as impressive, also said that the government should set up a top-class public sector university for students here.

Shaheen Umar, principal of the college accompanying the students, said that like the students she had also not ever been to the Governor’s House so it was an experience for her too. She said the building was impressive and students seemed very excited with the visit. She said that the buildings like Governor’s House and PM House could be used for other purposes as she had seen that such a huge building should not just be used for official work or as governor’s residence. She said there should be some other usefulness of the building.

The students thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for making it possible for them to visit the Governor’s House and said that they expected they would be allowed to visit the PM House soon.

The PTI government, which had spent five-year term in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had earlier announced that the Chief Minister’s House would be converted into a public library and the Governor’s House into a university, but so far nothing had been decided about its future. However, the Governor’s House was only opened to selected visitors on Sunday.

Some of the parents, who had heard that Governor’s House was being opened to public by the government, had also turned up with their children, but they got disappointed as they were informed that only selected groups were allowed to visit today (Sunday).

Saeed Khan had come all the way from Charsadda along with his son to visit the Governor’s House, but left without fulfilling their desire to see the historic building.

Farmanullah, a resident of Peshawar, came along with his two children, had also to face disappointment as they were not allowed to visit the Governor’s House. “I thought I would show the Governor’s House not only to my children, but also be able to see it myself, but we couldn’t,” he said and added that he lived all his life in Peshawar, but had never seen the inside of the Governor’s House.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2018