FJWU Old Presidency: The Untold Story of Rawalpindi's Bachan Niwas

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Tucked along the busy stretch of Mall Road in Rawalpindi Cantt sits a building that most passersby would never guess once housed a president of Pakistan, sheltered a future prime minister under house arrest, and was built for a royal guest who never showed up. Today it's known simply as the FJWU Old Presidency, the historic heart of Fatima Jinnah Women University's main campus. But peel back the layers of paint and time, and you'll find one of Rawalpindi's most fascinating and least-talked-about heritage sites.

A Palace Built for a Prince Who Never Came

The story of the FJWU Old Presidency begins with two Sikh merchant brothers, Mohan Singh and Sohan Singh, who are credited with commissioning the building in 1898. According to popular local history, the mansion was constructed in anticipation of a visit from a British prince a grand gesture meant to host royalty in style. The prince, however, never arrived, and the building instead earned its two enduring nicknames: "Bachan Niwas" and "Shehzada Kothi," the latter roughly translating to "the Prince's Mansion," a nod to the royal visit that was never realized.

Interestingly, not everyone agrees on exactly when the building went up. While 1898 is the most commonly cited year, some historical accounts place its construction closer to 1911. This thirteen-year gap remains a point of quiet debate among local historians and heritage enthusiasts, and no definitive documentation has settled the matter. Whichever date is accurate, the building predates Pakistan's independence by decades and has quietly witnessed the entire arc of the country's early political history.

Inside a Mansion Built for Royalty

What makes the Old Presidency worth visiting isn't just its backstory it's the craftsmanship. Step inside and you'll find carved Kashmiri woodwork lining the interiors, a hallmark of skilled artisans brought in specifically for this kind of high-status commission. The detailing throughout draws heavily on Mughal-style ornamentation, blending floral motifs and geometric patterns that were the design language of prestige in the subcontinent at the time.

The merchant brothers didn't skimp on materials either. Imported Italian marble covers key interior surfaces, and ornate chandeliers likely also imported would have cast a warm glow across the grand rooms during evening gatherings. This was, after all, a building meant to impress a member of the British royal family.

The grounds were just as ambitious as the interiors. The estate once featured a hedge maze modeled directly on the famous maze at Hampton Court Palace in England an extraordinary detail for a private residence in colonial-era Punjab. There was also a "barah dari," a traditional twelve-doored pavilion common in Mughal and Sikh garden architecture, offering open, breezy seating areas ideal for hot Rawalpindi afternoons. A sun room inspired by the Shalamar Garden added yet another layer of horticultural elegance, tying the property to the broader Mughal garden tradition that flourished across Lahore and the Punjab region.

From Private Mansion to Seat of Power

The building's fortunes shifted dramatically after Partition in 1947. What had been a private residence built by wealthy merchants was absorbed into the machinery of the new state of Pakistan and repurposed as a presidential residence. Two of Pakistan's most significant and controversial leaders called this building home during their time in office. President Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry resided here, as did General Zia-ul-Haq, whose military rule reshaped Pakistan's political landscape for over a decade.

"Walking through its halls today, it's worth pausing to consider how many pivotal, high-stakes political moments played out within these walls."

Perhaps the most poignant chapter in the building's political history involves Benazir Bhutto, who would go on to become Pakistan's first female prime minister. During a turbulent period, she was held under house arrest at this very site a detail that adds a layer of historical weight to what might otherwise be seen as just an attractive old building.

A New Chapter: Pakistan's First Women's University

In 1998, the building entered an entirely new phase of its life. It became the main campus of Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), which holds the distinction of being Pakistan's first university established exclusively for women. This transformation is symbolically rich: a building once associated with monarchy, military rule, and political detention became a center of education and empowerment for women.

For students and faculty who walk these halls daily, the building is more than just a repurposed heritage site it's a living reminder of how spaces can be reclaimed and redefined. What was once a symbol of colonial-era wealth and, later, centralized political power is now dedicated to expanding opportunities for women in higher education.

Why the FJWU Old Presidency Deserves More Attention

Rawalpindi's Mall Road is home to plenty of colonial and post-independence architecture, but few buildings carry the layered narrative of the Old Presidency. It's a site where Sikh merchant ambition, British royal protocol, Mughal-inspired craftsmanship, and modern Pakistani political history all intersect in a single structure.

Unfortunately, like many heritage buildings in Pakistan, the Old Presidency doesn't receive the recognition or conservation attention it arguably deserves. It's not formally promoted as a tourist attraction, and much of its history survives through local anecdotes and university records rather than official heritage documentation. For history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, or anyone interested in Pakistan's presidential history, the building offers a rare, tangible connection to events most people only read about in textbooks.

Visiting the Old Presidency Today

Because the building now functions as an active university campus, visiting requires some sensitivity to its current use it's not a museum with open public access in the traditional sense. Still, for those with a genuine interest in Rawalpindi's architectural heritage, the exterior alone, visible from Mall Road, offers a glimpse into the grandeur of early twentieth-century Punjab. If you're researching Pakistan's colonial and post-colonial architectural history, or simply curious about the buildings that shaped the country's early political landscape, the FJWU Old Presidency is well worth learning more about.