Lahore is the second largest city of Pakistan and the provincial capital of the Punjab. Historically, it is believed to be about 2000 years old. In ancient times, it was an outpost of Kangra hill Kingdoms and was a cut-off township on the trade route to Delhi and A It had hardly any reputation in the Pre-Muslim era. Lahore came to eminence with Islam in South Asia.

Under Malik Ayaz, the first Muslim Governor in the time of Sultan Mahmood (971-1030), Lahore became renowned for poetry. Lahore has always been a seat of learning and knowledge. Sufism and speculative mysticism became its major discipline. Schools were opened and scholars from Baghdad, Iran and other oriental and occidental regions came to this historical city and settled here. The city flourished academically during the four centuries of the Delhi Sultanate. It became the second imperial capital in 1580 under the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great.

Lahore touched the peak of glory during the rule of the Mughals. The Mughal emperors beautified the city with some of the finest architectural buildings and gardens that have survived the hazards of time. It was this reputation of Lahore that fascinated the English poet John Milton who wrote in 1670: "Agra and Lahore, the Seat of great Mughal." In earlier 17th century, Lahore was the pole-star and trend-setter for all the cities of the Empire. In mid 17th century, there were more than ten thousand schools in the city.

Literary education and poetry were the distinction of the city during the reigns of Mughal Emperors Shahjahan and Aurangzeb. The reputation of the city continued even during the anarchy of 18th century and it remained to be remembered as the Mughal capital even under the Sikh rule (1780-1846).

During the British rule in the Sub-Continent, many impressive buildings were raised in Lahore, which blended beautifully the traditional Mughal with the Western Gothic and Victorian styles of architecture. The British, who occupied the Punjab in 1849, had practically revived the old view of Lahore. Thus when they founded Government College Lahore (Now G.C. University) in 1864 they did not ignore Lahore's academic background. They selected Dr. G.W. Leitner as its first Principal who was an Arabic scholar and had studied Islamic learning at Constantinople (Istanbol) in Turkey. It was Dr. Leitner who had managed the building of a mosque at Woking in England after his retirement.

The spirit of Lahore sustained throughout the history of Government College University (GCU). Almost all the great intelligentsia who have richly contributed to the academic,literary and cultural life of the city, some how or other, shares a sense of belonging to GCU. Mohammad Hussain Azad and Allama Mohammad lqbal are just two to mention.