The tomb of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in old Lahore
The provincial capital, often termed the “Garden of Mughals”, is the hub of the province’s cultural heritage. There are various forts, castles, tombs, gardens, minarets and mosques in the city such as the Lahore Fort, Badshahi Mosque, Sunehri Mosque, Tomb of Anarkali and the Tomb of Asif Khan among others.
Unfortunately, the condition of these historical buildings is worsening by the day, with no one making any effort to preserve them. A citizen, Amir Ali, told Daily Times that one of the major reasons for the decline of these cultural landmarks is the attitude of the general public towards them. He said the people visiting these places often write their names, spit on the walls or at times steal precious stones from the monuments, hence diminishing the beauty of these historical structures. Talking to Daily Times, a visitor at the Lahore Fort pointed out the countless discarded wrappers and items of garbage lying inside the fort, saying that people themselves do not care about maintaining the beauty of their historical monuments. “The government too does not bother to take any appropriate measures or depute special personnel that can monitor the cleanliness of these places,” the visitor said. Talking to Daily Times, Lahore Conservation Society Information Secretary Dr Ijaz Anwar said that environmental pollution, as well as noise pollution, are key contributors towards the decay of historical buildings. “The process of preservation not only requires funds, but also the development of new mechanisms to ensure that these places do not lose any of their grandeur,” he said, adding that the Provincial Department of Archaeology was not competent and developed enough to preserve the charm of historical monuments. “Its staff is old, and due to financial constraints they are unable to hire skilled and learned people,” he said, adding that there was an urgent need to create awareness about the preservation of historical monuments at a grass-root level.
However, Provincial Department of Archaeology Director General Haroon Ahmed Khan told Daily Times that his department was working “day and night” for the preservation of the city’s cultural heritage, adding that it was time the general public realised that they too had to contribute and help in preserving the historical monuments. He urged the media to help his people in creating awareness amongst the public on the vital issue. Haroon also hinted at a shortage of funds for his department, saying that the department had to entirely rely upon the money generated from the sale of entry tickets to these buildings, “which is not enough to meet expenditures”. “It is high time the government adopts a strong strategy and gives priority to its historical treasures so that these monuments can be preserved in their original form… no nation can progress without being connected to its past and without acknowledging the achievements of its ancestors,” he said.
Madeeha Mehmood : The Daily Times
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