Pakistan’s College to name classroom after former CM Harcharan Singh Brar
Pakistani philanthropist Syed Babar Ali to dedicate classroom in honour of lifelong friend during centenary celebrations
Babushahi Bureau
Lahore (Pakistan), June 7, 2026: In a rare gesture celebrating a friendship that transcended borders, religion and politics, Pakistan’s historic Aitchison College has decided to name a classroom after former Punjab Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar.
The initiative has been taken by renowned Pakistani industrialist and philanthropist Syed Babar Ali, a close childhood friend of Brar.
The announcement has drawn attention on both sides of the border, highlighting a decades-old bond forged long before the Partition of India.
According to family members, the classroom will be formally dedicated during celebrations marking Babar Ali’s 100th birthday. While his centenary falls on June 30, the main commemorative event has been scheduled for June 10 due to the observance of Muharram.
Brar’s grandson, Tegbir Singh Brar, said the tribute reflects the deep personal relationship shared by the two men. He described their friendship as one that resembled a bond between brothers rather than ordinary friends. Brar’s daughter, Babli Brar, has travelled to Pakistan to attend the ceremony.
Recalling their school days in a recent interview, Babar Ali reflected on the enduring friendship that began at Aitchison College. “He went to the gurdwara and I went to the mosque, but religion and borders never came between us,” he said.
Harcharan Singh Brar served as Punjab Chief Minister from August 1995 to November 1996. A native of Sarainaga village in Sri Muktsar Sahib district, he studied at Aitchison College from 1936 to 1943, where his friendship with Babar Ali first took shape. Brar passed away in 2009.
The decision by the Lahore institution is being seen as a tribute not only to Brar’s legacy but also to a remarkable friendship that endured political upheavals, Partition and decades of changing relations between India and Pakistan. The classroom dedication stands as a symbol of shared history and people-to-people connections that continue to resonate across generations.