Minister for Culture, Tourism and Social Welfare Rauf Siddiqui on Thursday through a directive asked the district coordination officers (DCOs) to ensure protection of buildings declared as national heritage. Siddiqui has asked DCOs to survey old buildings, monuments and historical sites to find out the condition in which they were.
In a meeting with his senior officers, Siddiqui asked them to update list of protected sites and buildings and to take step to protect them from any further destruction. Historical sites situated at far off places are in danger of disappearance. People living nearby these places have either encroached upon the surrounding land or have occupied portion of historical buildings.
Reports of stealing of bricks and tiles have also been received. Tiles and bricks stolen from historical sites, especially from old graveyards and shrines find good market in big cities such as Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad where affluent people use them as decorative material in their houses.
Siddiqui has asked the DCOs to protect these sites and educate people about the importance of these places, adding that renovations and restoration of old building should not affect its facade and its originality should remain untouched.
He said though the government was aware of its responsibility, it was equally important to educate people about the importance of its national heritage and its protection. Siddiqui said that in Sindh under Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act 1994, steps were being taken to protect national heritage and historical sites but it would be effective only when people extended their support to these programmes.
He said that recently a few new buildings had also been declared as protected and national heritage. This is necessary to honour this declaration of the government and ensure that the purpose of the declaration is achieved.
In strictly worded instruction, Siddiqui asked the DCOs that they should survey all buildings, structures, monuments and historical sites and remove encroachments, mobile phones towers, banners, hoarding, and all such things that interfered with the sanctity of the site.