Punjab Government Shuts Down Historic Printing Press, Employees Left Uncertain

The Punjab government has closed its historic printing press in Lahore, leaving the future of approximately 300 employees uncertain and the facility's machinery abandoned, familiar with the matter.

The Government Printing Press, established in 1867 and relocated to a dedicated building on a 91-kanal plot in 1914, had long served as the primary site for printing official gazette notifications and registers for patwaris. Reports indicate that the closure has occurred without a clear plan for the institution's transition or the fate of its workforce.

Senior provincial officials, including the chief secretary, additional chief secretary, and the secretary of the industries department, have not provided explanations for the decision or outlined any future roadmap. Their silence has contributed to uncertainty among the affected employees, who now face an unclear professional future.

Sources report that, in recent years, the government acquired 60 kanals of the printing press's land to establish sessions courts. The original building has since been demolished, and the remaining 31 kanals have been transferred to the Lahore High Court. The closure of the Lahore facility follows the earlier shutdown of the Bahawalpur press, further reducing the province's government printing capacity.

With the printing press now closed, its historic equipment and machinery remain unused, and there has been no official communication regarding their future use or preservation. Employees and observers have raised concerns about the lack of transparency and the absence of a clear strategy for the institution's assets and staff.

As of now, the Punjab government has not issued any statements addressing the rationale behind the closure or detailing any plans for the affected employees or the facility's resources.