RAWALPINDI: Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi on Tuesday announced that Government Graduate College Asghar Mall, Rawalpindi, has been declared a national heritage.

“A formal ceremony will soon be held to officially confer the status on this historic educational institution,” he stated this while addressing a ceremony in the college.

The minister said that the college was not merely an academic building but a living symbol of knowledge, character and the nation’s historical and cultural legacy. He described the students as the future of the nation and the bright stars of Pakistan, recalling Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s advice to students at the time of Pakistan’s creation to focus on education for national progress.

The minister urged students to act as ambassadors of Pakistan whenever they travel abroad and present a positive image of the country. He said that following the bravery of Pakistan’s armed forces and the success of Marka-i-Haq, Pakistan’s global respect and standing had increased, and people across the world were now looking at Pakistan with admiration.

Inviting the college administration to sign cooperation agreements with the ministry’s cultural institutions, the minister assured full support. He added that the college would be allowed to use the ministry’s platforms free of cost to promote educational and cultural activities.

He also paid tribute to the teaching staff for shaping the future of the nation and appreciated the college administration for preserving the institution’s legacy and traditions. He encouraged students to move forward with knowledge, ethics, and a sense of responsibility to serve the country.

Speaking on the occasion, College Principal Professor Dr Tanveer Ahmed Khan Khichi said archaeology classes had been launched at the college, which was a pioneering initiative at the college level.

He added that support from the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums would be required for this purpose, to which the minister assured full cooperation.

It may be mentioned that the 113-year-old majestic building of the college reflects the glorious past of the Potohar region in education and culture. Originally established as a school by Sanatana Dharma Sabha in 1903, a popular Hindu movement in the subcontinent that established a number of educational institutions, the current building which houses the college was built in 1913.

However, the Asghar Mall School was given the status of a college in 1948 after the partition and became the first public-sector college in Potohar. Its old name was Sanatana Dharma High School. The institution spread over more than 100 kanals, but now the area has shrunk to 96 kanals due to encroachments.

The institution also had a temple adjacent to the building which was once part of the premises, but has now been separated. According to the alumni of the college, it used to be an ‘Aaram Bagh’ but has since vanished. The area is now left with the abandoned structure of the temple, surrounded by commercial buildings as well as houses.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2026