Kamran Lashari’s distinguished career as a civil servant has spanned over four decades and seen him in various seats of power across the country, from Chief Secretary Sindh to Chairman, Capital Development Authority to Director General, Parks & Horticulture Authority, Lahore. Known for his visionary leadership, Lashari has left his indelible stamp of excellence and commitment wherever his work has taken him, but perhaps nowhere as evidently as in Lahore. A connoisseur of arts and culture and a bonafide Lahori, Kamran Lashari has continuously striven to preserve Lahore’s grandeur and historic legacy. While serving as the head of the Parks & Horticulture Authority in the 90s, he was responsible for revitalizing its green spaces, beautifying its infrastructure and broadening the arts and cultural repertoire of a city that had recently shaken off the cloak of stagnancy and was in the midst of experiencing a cultural renaissance. The Gawalmandi Food Street project, Lashari’s masterpiece, is cited by many as the breakthrough public work project needed to harness Lahore’s vast tourism
Potential. Currently serving as Director General of the Walled City of Lahore Authority, he is spearheading the preservation and restoration of the ancient Walled City, reviving Lahore’s historic and cultural heart not only to make it a hub for heritage tourism but to also preserve the city’s glorious past for future generations. Since its inception in 2012, the WCLA with Lashari at its helm has carried out extensive works rehabilitating some of the area’s most prominent architectural gems that had been suffering from neglect and disrepair. The list of the organisation’s achievements is long and illustrious, starting off with the award-winning project for the conservation and reclamation of the Shahi Hammam, a 17th century royal bathhouse that now stands restored to its Mughal-era splendour. “The conservation of the hammam’s interior was carried out by the WCLA in partnership with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture with funding from the Royal Norwegian Embassy. During the restoration, the floors were excavated and the building’s ancient foundations were revealed, exposing the original waterworks and re-establishing this monument as a historical bathhouse and heritage site for the world to marvel at. The project received the UNESCO Award of Merit for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2016,” says Mr. Lashari, in an exclusive conversation with Destinations as he sheds light on the exciting new developments underway at WCLA
