Decision 44 COM 7B.34

Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (Pakistan) (C 171)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.14 and 43 COM 7B.72 adopted at its 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Takes note of the efforts made by the State Party to address the Committee’s previous requests and the recommendations formulated by the April 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission with regard to the protection and management of the property and the mitigation measures following the construction of the Orange Line Metro (OLM), and requests that the feasibility study for the remaining recommendations be conducted in close consultation with ICOMOS, and that its outcomes be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
4. Notes the creation by the Directorate-General for Archaeology of a Regulatory Committee for OLM-related operations and future projects, in an effort to enable informed decision-making processes, in compliance with the provisions of the Operational Guidelines;
5. Also requests that the State Party work in close cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS to assess all OLM-related operations and future projects, in order to prevent any damage to the property’s OUV;
6. Also takes note of the implementation of some of the recommendations formulated by the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission, further notes that for the remaining recommendations, the consultant engaged by the State Party will undertake detailed feasibility studies; further actions thereof will be taken in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies after the consultant’s findings become available, and also requests the State Party to involve the local community, according to national legislation, as an integral part of an informed decision-making process for the World Heritage property;
7. Also notes that a number of restoration and/or conservation projects have been undertaken at both component sites of the property, following the recommendations of the 2018 mission, including the preservation of the property’s perimeter wall at the Lahore Fort, a prototype project for the west segment of the Picture Wall, and the restoration of the Royal Kitchen;
8. Further requests that full details of any ongoing or future projects be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, including preservation and restoration works for Dewan-E-Khas, Shahjahani Khawabgah, Kala Burj, Lal Burj, Moti Masjid and Makatib Khana, Arzgah (Tile Mosaic Laboratory), Akbari Hammam, and inside Alamgiri Gate and Loh Mandar, as well as a details on the proposed re-use of the Royal Kitchen of Lahore Fort as a night-time restaurant, and that no irreversible decision be made before positive feedback has been received from the Advisory Bodies, and also urges the State Party to prioritise the safeguarding of the attributes of the property’s OUV, including the integrity and authenticity of Lahore Fort;
9. Requests furthermore the State Party to officially submit the revised Master Plan of the property to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, and also reiterates its request that the State Party submit to the World Heritage Centre a proposal for a minor boundary modification, prepared in accordance with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines and including the revision of the buffer zones, after having considered all appropriate social measures, especially if any of these actions involve the displacement of people residing in the neighbouring areas of the property, for review by the Committee at a subsequent session;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session.