Government Fatima Jinnah College for Women is an autonomous women's college in Chuna Mandi, Lahore, Punjab. Before establishment of the college, it was a haveli and was known as Dhyan Singh Haveli, or Asif Jah Haveli. The building of the college is 400 years old and was built by Abu'l-Hasan Asaf Khan, the Grand Vizier (Prime Minister) of the Mughal emperor Jahangir.[1] It was also used by Dhian Singh, a wazir of the Sikh Empire.[2] After the British defeated the Sikh Empire, the building was taken over and used as the office of assistant commissioner.[3]
In 1864, the haveli was used by the Government College, Lahore and the Oriental College, Lahore for the preliminary classes.[4][5] In 1871, the Government College, Lahore was shifted to a new building and the haveli was converted into Dhiyan Singh School which was renamed in 1947 as City Muslim League High School.[4]
In 1986, it was converted into a college named after Fatima Jinnah, Government Fatima Jinnah College for Women, by then Punjab Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif.[1] The Department of Gender Studies at Government Fatima Jinnah Graduate College for Women, Chuna Mandi, Lahore, offers graduate and postgraduate programs, featuring faculty members like Ms. Saima Noreen and Ms. Zanab Rana, who have participated in academic collaborations with institutions such as UMT. The college focuses on comprehensive female development. The institution offers programs at both graduate and postgraduate levels. However, Ms. Ayesha Shafique is currently handling the overall gender studies department of govt Fatima Jinnah Graduate College for women chuna Mandi Lahore. Government Fatima Jinnah Graduate College for Women, Chuna Mandi, is a comprehensive institution that hosts a wide array of academic departments catering to both undergraduate and graduate students. Beyond the Department of Gender Studies, the college features robust divisions in the Natural Sciences (including Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science), Social Sciences (such as Applied Psychology, Economics, Sociology, and Political Science), and Humanities (English, Urdu, Persian, and Arabic). Additionally, the college offers specialized programs through its departments of Fine Arts, Commerce, Mass Communication, and Education, providing a diverse academic environment housed within its iconic, 400-year-old Mughal-era architecture. Govt. Fatima Jinnah Graduate College for Women, Chuna Mandi, is a multidisciplinary institution offering a broad spectrum of 4-year BS (Hons) programs, primarily in the Social Sciences, Humanities, and Natural Sciences. Alongside its established Department of Gender Studies, the college provides undergraduate degrees in Applied Psychology, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, and English, as well as specialized fields like Mass Communication and Fine Arts (BFA). Students can also pursue careers in STEM through the Chemistry, Computer Science, and Mathematics departments or enter the teaching profession via the B.Ed (Hons) Elementary Education program. All these departments operate under the affiliation of the University of the Punjab, ensuring a standardized curriculum across its diverse academic landscape. Government Fatima Jinnah Graduate College for Women, Chuna Mandi, is staffed by an experienced academic team that includes both permanent government-appointed faculty and visiting specialists. Within the Department of Gender Studies, key faculty members who have historically represented the college in academic collaborations and workshops include Ms. Saima Noreen and Ms. Zanab Rana. In other departments, the college has recently seen new appointments and leadership, such as Ms. Huma Nazar, who serves as a Lecturer in the English Department, and Mrs.Shabnam Noor, an Associate Professor in the Economics Department. The college administration is often led by senior professors like Dr. Bushra Samina, who has served as the Principal. While individual headships for newer departments like Computer Science or Fine Arts are frequently filled by visiting facultyâÂÂindicated by recent 2025-2026 recruitment drivesâÂÂthe permanent faculty members are registered under the Punjab Higher Education Department (HED) and their names are officially displayed on the college's physical faculty boards
The building of the college is 400 years old and was built by Abu'l-Hasan Asaf Khan, the Grand Vizier (Prime Minister) of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. It was also used by Dhian Singh, a wazir of the Sikh Empire. After the British defeated the Sikh Empire, the building was taken over and used as the office of assistant commissioner.
In 1864, the haveli was used by the Government College, Lahore and the Oriental College, Lahore for the preliminary classes. In 1871, the Government College, Lahore was shifted to a new building and the haveli was converted into Dhiyan Singh School which was renamed in 1947 as City Muslim League High School.
In 1986, it was converted into a college named after Fatima Jinnah, Government Fatima Jinnah College for Women, by then Punjab Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif.