LHC stops Punjab from further action in Ewing Hall lease dispute

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has restrained the Punjab government from taking any further action over the 11.5-kanal Ewing Hall property owned by Forman Christian College University (FCCU), amid an ongoing dispute over the site’s possession and lease status.

Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad issued the order on Thursday on a petition filed by the FCCU registrar. The court also suspended the operation of the Board of Revenue’s decision to cancel the lease and directed the Punjab government to submit a detailed report before the next hearing.

The dispute surfaced earlier this month after activists and alumni expressed concern over what they described as the government’s repossession of Ewing Hall, saying the move could threaten a significant part of the college’s historical heritage. The Punjab government, however, has maintained that the lease had expired years earlier and that substantial dues were still outstanding.

Arguments before the court

Counsel for the petitioner told the court that the Punjab government had forcibly taken possession of the land on June 11 and argued that the Board of Revenue’s action to cancel the lease was unlawful. The lawyer said the Ewing Hall land, located in Neela Gumbad, New Anarkali, had originally been leased to the college in 1915 and that the lease was extended in 2018 until 2048.

The petitioner asked the court to restore possession of the land to the college and to bar the government from proceeding further until the matter is finally decided.

Representing the Punjab government, an additional advocate general challenged the maintainability of the petition. The law officer argued that the petitioner had not paid lease rent since 1975, which he said was a breach of the agreement. He further contended that land acquired for educational purposes was instead being used for commercial activities, and asked the court to dismiss the petition.

During the hearing, Justice Arshad observed that if the government wanted to recover lease rent from the college administration, it should have first issued a proper notice before taking action.

Takeover controversy

In an earlier statement, FCC Rector Dr Jonathan Addleton said university officials were informed by telephone on June 10 that the building would be taken over the next day. According to that statement, the university was then given 24 hours to remove generators, furniture and historical artefacts from the premises.

Days after the takeover sparked controversy, the Lahore Heritage Areas Revival Board denied reports that Ewing Hall would be demolished, saying the structure would instead be preserved and restored.