Forman Christian College

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UPDATE ON EWING HALL BY DR. JONATHAN ADDLETON, RECTOR, FORMAN CHRISTIAN COLLEGE (A CHARTERED UNIVERSITY)

I welcome the opportunity to provide a further update on my earlier comments made regarding the situation at Ewing Hall in Anarkali. I also welcome the positive news of an apparent commitment on the part of all concerned to renovate and preserve Ewing Hall, not demolish it.

First, FCCU has challenged the rental fees charged for much of the nationalization period. From our perspective, it is neither morally nor legally reasonable for FCCU to pay rent for a property that remained under government control during those decades.

Second, FCCU has challenged rental fees for later years that appear to have been calculated on a commercial basis. As a non-profit educational institution, FCCU finds it contradictory to be required to use Ewing Hall for educational purposes while being charged commercial rates for doing so.

Regarding the show-cause notice issued in March 2026, FCCU did submit a response. However, the detailed list of charges was not provided to the University until after the property had been seized, and even then through an informal email attachment rather than an official notification.

The hostel has been in use at least until 2018 -- at which time concerns were expressed about the structural integrity of the building, leading to a decision by the then-Rector to vacate students to ensure their safety, at least until a thorough and credible engineering assessment could be undertaken.

This was followed by Covid-19, after which FCCU under the new Rector, commissioned the said structural assessment at a cost of nearly five million rupees which was completed in March 2026. At the same time, FCCU conducted discussions with the Walled City Authority to launch a renovation of the facade.

FCCU fully supports ongoing government efforts to preserve Ewing Hall and remains committed to a collaborative partnership that safeguards its historic significance while maintaining its role as an FCCU hostel — a "home away from home" for Forman students in which all faiths, socio-economic groups, and geographic regions are respected, honored, and represented.

STATEMENT ON EWING HALL BY RECTOR, FORMAN CHRISTIAN COLLEGE (A CHARTERED UNIVERSITY)

Over the past 48 hours we have observed with mounting concern the forcible take-over of Forman's historical Ewing Hall, situated in Anarkali in the old part of Lahore. Long a part of the Forman campus, the initial lease was signed in 1915 and subseuqently renewed multiple times, most recently to extend it well into the 2040s..

Against that backdrop, on Wednesday afternoon we were informed by phone that the building would be taken over the next day; on Thursday we were further informed that we had "24 hours" to remove all movable property including generators, furniture, and historical artifacts, an impossible task.

At this point rumors continue to swirl, with one such rumor indicating that the building might be hastily demolished despite our offer to collaborate and work toward the preservation of Ewing Hall and the cultural heritage that it represents. Under any scenario, discussions need to involve various stakeholders and interested parties including Pakistan's minority communities for whom Forman means so much.

Given its historical connections to Forman, the past two days have involved considerable grief and more than a few tears. Looking forward, we urge members of civil society to express their concern, even as we request the government to reconsider its actions and return Ewing Hall to Forman.

Dr. Jonathan Addleton
Rector,
Forman Christian College
(A Chartered University)

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