The government of Pakistan recently announced that it would open the doors of all governor houses to the public. The decision is part of the government’s plan to safeguard taxpayer money. Instead of spending public funds to maintain colonial symbols, the government wants to earn revenue from these palatial houses. People can now visit the vast gardens and even stay at some of the rooms of these luxurious homes. Let us take a look at the facilities that will be offered and how the government plans to use government buildings of historical importance for tourism purposes. Following are some of the governor houses open to the public.
Magnificent Governor Houses open to the public
- Governor House Punjab
- Governor House in Nathiagali
- Government House Murree
- Governor House Sindh
Governor House Punjab
The Governor House in Lahore is the official residence of the Governor of Punjab. In ‘Naya Pakistan,’ things are a little different though; the governor is no longer living in the historical building. On the contrary, the Governor House Lahore is open to the public and tourists alike. So, now you can sneak a peek at the magnificent life the previous rulers were leading.
The Governor’s House is situated at Mall Road in Lahore. The entrance point of the Governor House, Lahore, is at Sharah-e-Aiwan-e-Sanat-o-Tijarat and the T-junction of Mall Road. The official residence is built in a large expanse of surrounding lawns and gardens. In proximity to the house, there is a tomb of Muhammad Qasim Khan who was the cousin of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
During the British rule, when the Punjab province was annexed, the land where the current Governor House is located was purchased for the residence of the British Lieutenant-Governor of the Province. After the independence of Pakistan, it was formally given to the governor of Punjab.
Significance of Governor House Punjab
The Governor House in Lahore one of the 10 key government buildings in Lahore has the privilege of hosting several rulers and heads of states, including Saudi King Shah Faisal, US President Richard Nixon, UAE president Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Libyan President Mohammad Muammar Gaddafi and even Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. For nearly 150 years, it has been serving as the official residence of the governors of the province.
The Governor House Lahore also has the honour of hosting a lunch of 24 head of the states who attended the Islamic Summit Conference in 1974. A special dining table was designed for the purpose, which is still preserved.
Chief justices of Lahore High Court and all governors and chief ministers have taken oaths in this building. The governor of Lahore used to live in one part of the mansion while the rest of the building was used for other purposes. There was a special Prince Wing dedicated for heads of the state, separate rooms for the president and the prime minister, governor’s secretariat, and around 10 guest rooms for the staff of president and prime minister.
There is a 400-year-old Darbar Hall as well, where official functions are held that include federal cabinet meetings and oath-taking ceremonies.
Governor House Punjab open for public
Apart from the governor houses open to the public there are at least 117 rest houses and guest houses in Punjab accessible to the people. Earlier, the public timings for Governor House Lahore was open only on Sundays, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, but now people can access the house any day of the week from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM in the evening. You can enter the magnificent Governor House Punjab through the gate situated towards Alhamra Hall. The CNIC of one family member is required to enter the historic building.
Plans to rent out Governor House for corporate events
The Governor’s House Management has submitted a proposal to rent out the premises for corporate events. In a recent report published by Express Tribune, “The house has proposed to rent out the lawns for PKR 1 million a day for functions, PKR 200,000 for photoshoots and PKR 10,000 to PKR 50,000 for lodging in different rooms of historic significance. The house has also proposed the government to introduce paid tickets for visits to the property.
As per a draft, the house has proposed that the government to introduce a PKR 50 ticket for visitors and PKR 25 for students. For a guided tour, the house has proposed a tariff of PKR 500 for Pakistani citizens and PKR 1,000 for foreign tourists on weekends.”
Governor House in Nathiagali
The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has opened four rest houses, including the Chief Minister House and the Governor House to the general public. People can now book a room at the scenic location of Nathiagali and live like a king for a day!
The eight-room Governor House in Nathiagali was constructed in 1923. It is spread over a sprawling, 76-kanal piece of land and lies 7,922 feet above sea level.
Governor House in Nathiagali open for public
These colonial symbols which cost crores annually to the taxpayer in maintenance, are now going to make money for the government. pic.twitter.com/MmsCAwxqnu
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 25, 2019
Apart from the governor houses opened to the public, there are other rest houses as well open for bookings, including Police House and Karnak House. You can book these rest houses in Nathiagali through the official website of Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Governor House can be a perfect accommodation for tourists who visit Nathiagali to enjoy its unmatched beauty. According to the website, booking a room at Governor House Nathiagali for a day begins at PKR 40,000. If you wish to stay at the Chief Minister House, then you will have to pay PKR 24,000. For the Karnak House in Nathiagali, PKR 18,000 per day are required. To stay at the Police House, you will have to pay PKR 12,000 to enjoy the facilities. The rooms have a capacity for two adults and two children and the standard check-in time is 14:00 hours while the check-out time is 12:00 hours.
The government has plans to open up 174 government rest houses located all over the province and 47 rest houses would also be opened in the next phase. The remaining 100 rest houses will be opened later.
Governor House Sindh
Just like every province has a Governor House same goes with the province of Sindh. The official residence of the governor of Sindh is located at the Aiwan-e-Sadar Road in Karachi.
It was built in the year 1939 and holds great historical significance as it has been the residence of several prominent figures, including the British governors of Sindh, commissioners and the Governor-Generals of Pakistan, the President, Governors and now the palatial house is open to the public.
Interesting history of the colonial-era Governor House in Karachi
The Governor’s House in Karachi is located at the original site of where the Government House used to exist. It was built by Sir Charles Napier in the year 1843 while Sindh was part of the British rule. Later it was used as the official residence of commissioners until 1936.
In the same year, in 1936 the construction of the present day Governor’s House in Karachi began to take place. It was designed by famous architect R.T. Russel and the building was constructed in 1939. This new building was constructed to replace the Government House which was in bad shape.
Post partition the building became the residence of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, who was also the first Governor General of Pakistan. Since that time, the building was called ‘Governor General’s House’ and became the residence of the Quaid’s successors. The founder of the nation resided in the building until his death on 11 September 1948. In 1956, the post of Governor General of Pakistan was abolished and replaced by President of Pakistan. The last Governor General of Pakistan, Iskander Mirza, went on to become Pakistan’s first president. Consequently, the building was also referred to as the “President’s House” in those days. In 1970, when Islamabad became the capital of Pakistan, this historic building was given the status of Governor’s House.
Governor House Sindh open for public
Visitors are allowed to enter the Sindh Governor House open to the public from Gate No 1. The timings of the visit are from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM every day of the week and from 4.30 PM to 6.30 PM on Sunday. After a basic security check i.e. depositing of your National Identity Card, you can access the Sindh Governor House. Take a look at the lush green gardens and historic artefacts and relics. People especially take photos while visiting the office of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. There are plans for guided tours by the government.
Government House Murree
To eliminate VIP culture, in line with Prime Minister’s austerity drive, governors no longer live at their official residences. As per the government’s plan, all state buildings will be used for public welfare. The luxurious Government House Murree will also be converted into a boutique heritage resort. It is situated on Kashmir Point in Murree at at an altitude of 7,513 feet above the sea level. It was constructed in 1954 and had six suites and a conference room. Various heads of the states and world leaders used to visit the historical building in the past.
Government House Murree open for public
The decision to allow public access to government-owned buildings has been taken well by tourists who visit Murree. Now, they can also add Government House Murree to the list.
Opened on Sundays, the Government House Murree has become a special tourist spot. The interior sections of the building is not open to visitors. Some parts of the building are cordoned off, yet the beautiful lawns of the sprawling Government House Murree are a major source of attraction for visitors. There is a special train called Safari Train that takes you through the lawns of the mansion. Timings to visit Govt House Murree are from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The rooms of the building are locked and are not open for bookings.
The previous Punjab government allegedly spent around PKR 600 million on renovating Government House Murree and even installed gold-plated toilets.
So, are you looking forward to enjoy a royal stay at Governor House in Nathiagali? Do you want to spend an evening at the sprawling lawns of the Governor House open for public? Let us know what you think of the government’s initiative at blog@zameen.com. Subscribe to Zameen Blog – the best tourism blog in Pakistan for more informative posts.
