UNESCO’s Pakistan chief Jorge Sequera and Norwegian diplomat Alf Ramslien intervened and sources said they raised the issue at highest possible level. UNESCO recommended Mohan Lal’s transfer, sources added. After UNESCO’s protest, Federal Culture Secretary Jalil Abbas called a meeting and asked Federal Archeology Department Director General Fazal Dad Kakar to reinstate the entire team. Kakar issued Order No 216, S/FG/AN/NAJ to restore the group, part of which read, “…You are advised to comply with the instructions of the secretary and furnish compliance report immediately.”
Punjab Archaeology Department (PAD) Director General Oriya Jan Maqbool, UNESCO’s cultural officer Farhat Gul, Jorge Sequera, Alf Ramslien and Punjab Culture Secretary Taimur Azmat Osman decided in another meeting in Lahore that the new National Project Coordinator for Sheesh Mahal would be Talib Hussain from the PAD.
Maqbool issued Order No II (24)/Arch/2006/1125-33 for the appointment. “The Government of Punjab is hereby given the additional assignment of the National Project Coordinator of the Sheesh Mahal Project, Lahore Fort with immediate effect,” the order said.
The reinstated team is: Maqsood Malik (senior architect), Sajjad Butt (photographer) Sajid Naseer (computer operator), Liaqat Masih (technician), Zulfiqar Gondal (site supervisor conservation), Sadaqat Ali (technician), Muhammad Shafiq (peon) Amjad (surveyor), Abdul Rehman (mason) and Zulfiqar Ali (labourer).
Mohan Lal said that he removed the team because they were getting double salaries but not working properly. He did not comment on why the team was reinstated if it was not working properly.
Saleemul Haq said that the team worked until 7pm and were therefore given extra salary from the project fund.
Sources said Mohan Lal was inquired from his seniors on Monday about another strange action that he took.
Mohan Lal set the overgrown grass in Jahangir’s tomb on fire. Archaeology experts said the smoke and heat could damage the marble work in the tomb, which was a protected monument under Antiquities Act, 1975. They said that it was the grass on fire and there were old trees in the area. They said it was the first incident of a director setting grass afire in the area of a monument. Mohan Lal earlier denied the incident, but then accepted that some grass and leaves were set on fire. “It is not a big deal,” he said. Experts said that no vehicle was allowed in the 500-metre area of Taj Mahal in India, as smoke and noise damaged the monument.
Jahangir’s tomb was built by his son Shah Jahan in 1627, on the site of Bagh-e-Dilkusha, a garden made by Jahangir’s wife, empress Nur Jahan. It took ten years for the project to complete. The name of the tomb’s architect is not known, but Chandar Bhan, a historian and writer of Char Chaman, also supervised the project for a brief period.