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Abstract
By the mid-nineteenth century Lahore had become a key urban centre with important ideological, politicaland cultural connections that reflected its status as the provincial capital of Punjab. The arrival of the British in 1849 marked a new beginning for Lahore, one that shaped its development into a ‘modern’ colonial city characterized by a centralized administration, rapid urbanization and increased commercial activity. Colonial Lahore has featured as an important subject of academic interest over the last few decades. Recent works have ascribed the transition of Lahore into a modern urban city as a consequence of the adaptation and integration of the indigenous system with the imperial forces. In this regard this paper offers afresh insight into the view that colonial objectives were never simply imposed upon the city, instead depended considerably on collaborative projects between natives and the British.