# Pak Tea House

Pak Tea House in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan is a haunt of writers and poets, known for its association with progressive academics and left-leaning South Asian intelligentsia.
Traditionally frequented by country's notably artistic, cultural and literary personalities, it was founded by a Sikh family in 1940 and quickly acquired its current name after it was leased to one of the locals in Lahore after the partition of India in 1947. Intervention of Lahore High Court had led to the re-opening of the Tea House in 2013. Noted for being the birthplace of influential literary movement, the Progressive Writers' Association, the place is described as a hub of Lahore's intellectual life for many years.

## History

The café was set up in 1940 as the "India Tea House" by Boota Singh, a Sikh family in Lahore. In 1944, it was taken over by two Sikh brothers Surtej Singh Bhalla and Kaiser Singh Bhalla. It remained closed during the 1947 partition riots, and in 1948, Sirajuddin Ahmed, a local food supplier, rented the place from Young Men's Christian Association's administration. He renamed it "Pak Tea House" in 1950 and ran this restaurant successfully from 1948 to 1978. After his death, his son Zahid Hasan managed the cafe and restaurant. This historic tea house was known as a meeting place and was frequented by the city's artists and literary personalities, especially until the 1990s. It was closed in 2000 with the decline in customers. During this period, its ownership was taken over by the Young Men's Christian Association.
Among the luminaries known to visit Pak Tea House, were: Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ibn-e-Insha, Ahmed Faraz, Saadat Hasan Manto, Josh Malihabadi, Sahir Ludhianvi, Amrita Pritam, Munshi Premchand, Majrooh Sultanpuri, M. D. Taseer, Krishan Chander, Ismat Chughtai, Ahmad Rahi, Muneer Niazi, Meeraji, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Habib Jalib, Kaifi Azmi, Kamal Ahmed Rizvi, Nasir Kazmi, Intezar Hussain, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Firaq Gorakhpuri, Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, Agha Shorish Kashmiri, Professor Sayyid Sajjad Rizvi, Dr. Muhammad Baqir, Mr. Farhad Ahmad Hotiana, Shaheer Ahmad Khan and Syed Qasim Mahmood.
Pak Tea House became a birthplace of the influential literary movement. It was and remained popular for its best and quick service, specially during lunch hours. They even serve customer who do not even want to come inside the tea-house. Staff is trained to drag people inside the premises and feed them forcefully, the Progressive Writers' Association in Pakistan, known for left-wing politics since its foundation in 1940. Many writers frequented it, and it was also a favorite gathering place of the section of Lahore's youth with non-mainstream points of view. It maintained a reputation as a forum for people of diverse backgrounds to voice their opinions in a non-judgmental atmosphere.
In 1999, it was closed by its owner due to lack of business, a decision criticized by the intellectual community of Lahore. It remained closed for 13 years until 2 February 2012 when, on the orders of the Lahore commissioner, Pak Tea House was again put under the control of the YMCA. On 8 March 2013, Pak Tea House located on Mall Road, near Neela Gumbad and Anarkali Bazaar, was reinaugurated by the Government of Punjab. In October 2013, the government handed over the Pak Tea House to the Walled City Lahore Authority. Pak Tea House is still popular amongst students who reportedly say that the food and snacks are reasonably priced and of good quality. Pictures of many literary figures who used to visit this place, are mounted on the cafe's walls.

## Reopening

In June 2012, the government of Punjab announced its intention to reopen the Pak Tea House, where it would support itself. On Friday 8 March 2013, Lahore's iconic Pak Tea House reopened after 13 years of closure. Among the attendees was the Pakistani writer Ata ul Haq Qasmi. Pak Tea House remains a special place for those who remember Lahore's lively literary and cultural past.