The history of Saddar, the largest commercial hub in Rawalpindi, and the British colonisation are intertwined. Already a strategic trade centre for the Sikhs, the British turned Rawalpindi into one of the largest cantonments in colonial India after they defeated the Sikh empire in 1849 and occupied Punjab.

In 1849, the city was the headquarters of Northern Command after it was set up by Queen Victoria’s 53rd Regiment that was the first of the armies to arrive in the city. Within two years, a permanent cantonment was established by the 1st Marquess of Dalhousie, James Broun-Ramsay, the governor-general of India from 1848 to 1856.

As the city expanded, the British colonisers constructed the post office, railways station, and a telegraph office in 1857 but the local economy truly took off after the British invited natives to build shops and residences inside the cantonment to cater to its army men.

In 1883, Sardar Sujan Singh, an influential trader and contractor in the city, constructed a large market in central Saddar. The British subsequently developed this shopping district and built an archway to commemorate Brigadier General Massey.

Subsequently, many shops and residences popped up in and around Saddar as the cantonment expanded to become the largest Cantt in colonial India. There are many buildings in Saddar, which are a testament to its colonial heritage, including Messy Gate.

Bank Road then called Edward Road housed many single-storey shops with verandas and peepal trees lined both sides of the road. Now, trees and these single-floor shops are hardly visible in the burgeoning commercial hub home to multi-storey buildings.

Kashmir Road was called Dalhousie Road at the time and had a General Post Office. It also had the American Centre Library which was burned down by a mob during the rule of military dictator Ziaul Haq after the Makkah siege in 1979.

The Mall was known as ‘Thandi Sarak’ as peepal trees lined both sides of the road and Queen Victoria’s statue was installed in front of the GHQ’s main gate. The statue was later shifted to the UK High Commission.

Chotta Bazar had several shops dealing in coal, which was the primary fuel at the time whereas ‘Bhoosa Godam’ near the railway station dealt in wheat and related produce, with Hindu traders playing an active role in this thriving market.

Former district nazim and Saddar resident Raja Tariq Kiani said that in the past, there was ‘London Book Store’ on Kashmir Road, which was the one of best bookstores. It later shifted to the Gol Market in Islamabad near Melody.

He said that Essa Jee and Sons was the largest grocery store in the city till the late 90’s. “In the old times, there was peace in the cantonment area. Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Christians had their own worship places,” he said, recalling the interfaith harmony of the old times.

He said that the Pakistan Secretariat was called Calcutta House as the Indian army’s Headquarters was then in Calcutta and it was the secretariat for the Northern Command. Since the government officials were dubbed ‘Babu’ by residents, their residential colony was later known as ‘Babu Mohallah’.

“Till the late 90’s, Rawalpindi Cantonment was the cleanest cantonment in the region,” he said, adding things started to change after that but not in a good way.

Published in Dawn, October 21th, 2024