PESHAWAR: (NADER KHAN) The 300 years old historic garden of Shahi Bagh, once known as the Royal Garden, attracts a large number of people from the city to enjoy leisure and recreational activities, as the garden presents an attractive view after renovation and beautification.
Established during the Mughal Durrani period before 1757 , this garden is about three hundred years old and was used by the kings of that time and their princes for sightseeing and entertainment.
Shahi Bagh is located in Faqirabad, Peshawar. The literal meaning of “Shahi Bagh” in the local languages is “Royal Garden”. The area of the park is about 800 kanals, and it was built during the Mughal era. It holds an important recreational and historical importance for the city and its residents.
The structures built on the Shahi Bagh land included local government offices, Government College Peshawar, Municipal Inter College for Girls, two wedding halls (one in the Parda Bagh), Peshawar Gymkhana, Pakistan Tennis Club, Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium, Tahmas Khan Football Ground, Finland Amusement Park and a football stadium.
Shahi Bagh is a protected national heritage under the Antiquities Act and the National Heritage Act. Under the Heritage Act, any garden or other historical site that is 100 years or more old automatically acquires national heritage status.
Unplanned encroachments, encroachments and lack of proper maintenance continued to deteriorate the condition of Shahi Bagh. The following year, the Ex Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), Ijaz Afzal Khan, took suo motu notice of the matter.
Read also: Abazai Mango of Charsadda: Pakistan’s rare and naturally sweet Mango variety
The first encouraging development was seen in 2009 when the then Awami National Party-Pakistan People’s Party coalition government began the renovation of the historic park with financial support from the top international development agency, USAID.
The PTI government has increased its staff to make the garden more beautiful, and after the renovation, the garden is now fully secured and has a large boundary wall around it. The flowery landscape of the garden presents an attractive view that multiplies the attraction of this royal garden. In terms of cleanliness, it has surpassed the Shalimar Garden in Lahore.
The garden is a national heritage site and public property. The royal garden is a very popular place among students. In the old days, students used to go to the park for recreational activities and also for studying. Saint Kirpal Singh, who studied at Edwards Church Mission High School (Edwards College) in Peshawar, writes that he used to take his book and study in the Shahi Bagh.
Former Chief Minister Khan Qayyum used to walk and exercise in this garden, and he has built his residence in it, which was later converted into the NADRA office. Among the famous cricketers from this province, Sajid Afridi and Fakhar Alam also used to visit the Peshawar Gymkhana in this garden.
