Echoes of silence
\n PESHAWAR
\nOnce resonant with laughter, birdsong, and the scent of wet earth during the monsoon, Peshawar\u2019s three historic Mughal era gardens now stand eerily silent, which are ghosts of a greener past, fading under the weight of neglect, urban encroachment, and environmental degradation.
\nHistorical gardens like Wazir Bagh, Shalimar Garden, and Jinnah Park, which were once the emerald heartbeats of Peshawar, are now pale shadows of their former selves due to improper upkeeping.
\nThe towering pipal, siris and shisham trees that offered cool respite during scorching summers to Peshawarities have been felled, taking with them the chorus of birds and the joy of shaded picnics especially during monsoon.
\nHe recalled how, decades ago, the park was alive with butterflies and children playing beneath dense canopies so thick they created twilight even in broad daylight. <\/p>\n
\u201cI returned to my favorite Wazir Bagh after 24 years and was heartbroken after seeing its dying greenery and neglect,\u201d said Misal Khan, a retired government servant, his eyes welling with nostalgia as his grandchildren played hide-and-seek around him. Misal Khan, who had spent golden days of his childhood at Wazirbagh said, \u201cthe dying greenery and loss of those thick pipal trees hurt me the most.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senior citizens gathered under these conopy trees to share stories, while families picnicked on lush lawns now worn and dusty. \u201cToday,\u201d he sighed, \u201conly concrete and silence remain.\u201d
\nOnce a favorite spot for morning joggers and weekend visitors, Wazir Bagh also boasted fruit-bearing trees such as apricots, pomegranates, pears and vibrant flowerbeds that dazzled both locals and tourists.
\nMisal Khan remembered how communities like the Shinwaris, Afridis, Mohmands, and Khattaks, along with foreign visitors, came here and converged for relaxation and cultural gatherings.
\nBut over time, creeping encroachments and poor maintenance have stripped these gardens of their soul. Shrinking flowerbeds, broken benches, and withered plants now tell a story of neglect and desertion.
\nHe said the area of historical Jinnah Park was shortened after construction of illplanned BRT corridor near Firdus square, depriving Peshawarties of much needed recreation.
\n\u201cWazir Bagh was the identity of Peshawar,\u201d Manzoorul Haq, former ambassador told APP, adding he also visited a number of times with friends during student life and played under its tall pipal trees which is no more.
\nCalling on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to restore the park to its former glory, he advocated for replanting native trees and even proposed a nominal entry fee to curb misuse and protect the space besides preventing it from further deterioration.
\nAccording to Bakhtzada Muhammad, Assistant Director of Archaeology and Museums, Wazir Bagh is Peshawar\u2019s oldest Mughal-style garden, built in 1810 after Sardar Fateh Mohammad Khan Barkzai, known as Wazir, defeated Shah Shuja\u2019s forces and established this garden near his residence in southern Peshawar.
\nNearby lie the Durrani Royal graveyard and the tomb of Beejo Bibi, a consort of Shah Taimur, son of Ahmad Shah Abdali. British diplomat Sir Alexander Burnes also visited the garden in 1832, resting under its now-lost canopy and was impressed of its beauty.
\nIn recent years, a glimmer of hope emerged when former Chief Minister Mahmood Khan allocated Rs100 million for Wazir Bagh\u2019s revival under the \u201cNew Peshawar, Old Charm\u201d project. Spearheaded by the Local Government Department, the initiative aimed to restore the garden without compromising its historic essence.
\nThe project involved renovating pavilions, lawns, fountains, and pathways and construction of slip roads to ease access to Wazir Bagh and near Shahi Bagh gardens.
\nSpokesman of the local government department said to improve the surrounding environment, billboards, debris, rusting vehicles, tangled wires, and illegal structures were removed. Power lines near the gardens were relocated underground to preserve aesthetic and safety standards.
\nDespite these efforts, the true revival of Peshawar\u2019s gardens remains a work in progress and time has come to restore it. These parks are not just recreational spaces but living archives with green chapters in the city\u2019s 3,000-year-old story.
\nThe experts said that parks are vital for the well-being of residents of big cities, offering them numerous benefits. They serve as oases for recreation, improve air and water quality, and contribute to the city\u2019s aesthetic appeal.
\nThey said recreational parks enhance community engagement and promote physical as well mental health of thousands of residents, therefore great responsibility rest on the shoulders of the KP Government to take this issue on a war footing basis by removing all encroachment and restoring it in its original shape.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Echoes of silence PESHAWAR Once resonant with laughter, birdsong, and the scent of wet earth during the monsoon, Peshawar\u2019s three historic Mughal era gardens now stand eerily silent, which are ghosts of a greener past, fading under the weight of neglect, urban encroachment, and environmental degradation. Historical gardens like Wazir Bagh, Shalimar Garden, and Jinnah […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-489698","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-peshawar"},"yoast_head":"\n