Revival of the Pak Tea House, Completing monumental projects all show Shahbaz magic

LAHORE city has had a unique and glorious history as a trend-setter and creating cultural traditions. The evidence of this is abundantly available in countless references made by various renowned historians, writers and authors including Rudyard Kipling, who virtually grew up in Lahore to take up his epic journalistic career with Civil Military Gazette, a great British owned English daily of the pre-partitions era. Kipling had written graphic details of what transpired in and around the historic city of Lahore and its countless caravan serais (inns or currently described as motels), and places of entertainment and cultural activities which mushroomed all over the place.

With the advent of British rule also came in its wake setting up of modern hotels, cafes, restaurants and clubs which made city famous across the Subcontinent with some of old haunts and reputed hotels and cafes were still in vogue after independence, few were however able to survive with the on slought of steep escalation of properly prices and free – for – all which ensued in Lahore due to its inept and thoughtless management and policies by successive city regime(except for a solitary example of a role model like Kh. Ehsan) which pushed Lahore into the current shambles and chaos it found itself. PML(N) regime when it took over under a dynamic Shahbaz Sharif, as chief minister, had taken up the herculean task to restore normalcy. That be lost little time to grapple with multiple problems and quickly restore the city back to its original pace of life and beauty has become self evident. It looks almost like a miracle what has been achieved. The completion of the bogged down and thoroughly mismanaged. Ring Road Project, speedy completion of the development projects like Multan Road, Ferozepur Road, Opening up of Lahore – Kasur Road and the strategic bridge on Thokar Niaz Beg have been all a clear proof that what an honest, dedicated, determined and headson leadership can achieve.

Now to top off the above all, has come two super achievements of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in opening Metro Bus and Kalma Chowk underpass, both in record time. It has shown the way to all other leaders what can be done if you really mean it. In the aftermath has come another feat of PML(N) in Lahore city to restore the popular spot of poets, writers, journalists, students, intlecutalls, `Pak Tea House, which had been closed down many years ago. Known as India Tea House when it was opened by a sikh gentleman in 1940, which was renamed as `` Pak Tea House``, after partition. I recall being taken there by my old friend from Sahiwal, Muneer Niazi, and then visiting at many times later, when I shifted to Lahore to pursue journalism. It was a popular place like so many others, Milk Bar, Chenny`s, Lunch Home, Zelin`s coffee House, Gardenia, Casino, Frosty Molty, Sheraz, Shezan, HKO and scores of others which existed on or around the Mall, starting from Anarkali to Charing Cross near the Punjab Assembly. All of them have become history now which is a shame as one sees most of such old places like this in New Delhi, Bombay or other cities of the world have been retained and still exist.

It was good to see the bold initiative taken by young Hamza Sharif to ensure reopening of ``Pak Tea House,`` on Friday and the occasion was graced by none other than PML(N) Chief Nawaz Sharif, along with other senior party leaders. One sees it as a happy augury and expects efforts will be made to revive some old joints like Shezan, Casino etc. Also in near future. One also hopes that provincial govenment also enlarge the role and scope of the Alhamra Art Council to play its original and designated role in future, then being reduced to its current almost dormant – role and dumping ground of favourites.