Pakistan's Punjab provincial government has suspended plans to demolish Ewing Hall, a century-old hostel building at Forman Christian College University (FCCU) in Lahore, following a sharp backlash from Christian leaders, heritage conservationists, rights advocates, and alumni. The climbdown, confirmed in a 14 June statement by the Lahore Heritage Areas Revival Board (LHAR), came days after the government's forcible takeover of the property triggered widespread condemnation.

The Building at the Centre of the Storm

Ewing Hall, constructed in 1916 and located in Lahore's Anarkali area near Neela Gumbat and the Old City, is named after James Caruthers Rhea Ewing, a distinguished principal who played a formative role in shaping FCCU. The institution itself was founded in 1864 by the Presbyterian Church USA and is widely regarded as one of Pakistan's premier higher education institutions. For over a century, Ewing Hall served as a student hostel for this historic Christian college.

What the Punjab Government Did

On 11 June, FCCU Rector Jonathan Addleton disclosed in a social media post that the Punjab provincial government had 'forcibly requisitioned' the building, evicting FCCU security staff and residents. Addleton stated that college officials were verbally given 24 hours to remove all movable items — including generators, furniture, historical artefacts, and photographs — before the property reverted to government control.

'While we will look for legal remedies, this decision seems incomprehensible, especially because the March 2026 engineering report that we had commissioned and paid for indicated that the building is structurally sound,' Addleton said. He noted that FCCU had earlier vacated the hall as a precautionary measure for student safety, and had since decided to renovate and restore it as a hostel — only to face what he described as a penalisation for that caution.

Church Leaders and Rights Groups Push Back

Reverend Reuben Qamar, moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (PCP) and pastor in charge of the FCCU Presbyterian Church, condemned the action in a post on X. 'I strongly condemn the forcible takeover of Ewing Hall by the Punjab government, a historic hostel and an integral part of Forman Christian College since 1916. For more than a century, Ewing Hostel has provided thousands of students with a home that has nurtured academic excellence,' he wrote.

The criticism extended beyond church circles to heritage conservationists and alumni networks, amplifying pressure on the provincial administration to reconsider.

Government Reverses Course, Pledges Preservation

Following the escalating public outcry, the Lahore Heritage Areas Revival Board (LHAR) issued a clarification on 14 June, stating that Ewing Hall would not be demolished following the government's repossession of the property. According to reports, the LHAR indicated the structure would instead be preserved and restored — a significant reversal from the initial signals that had alarmed the Christian community and heritage advocates.

A Deeper Dispute Over Nationalised Church Properties

The Ewing Hall controversy has reignited debate over the status of church-owned educational institutions nationalised during the 1970s in Pakistan. Critics argue that the forcible takeover reflects a broader pattern of institutional vulnerability facing minority communities, particularly when ownership disputes intersect with state authority. Notably, this is not the first time that heritage and minority rights concerns have collided in Pakistan's Punjab — the province has faced repeated scrutiny over the treatment of Christian institutions and their assets. The LHAR's pledge to preserve Ewing Hall, while welcomed, has not resolved the underlying ownership question, and FCCU has indicated it will continue to pursue legal remedies.