KARACHI: Historical sites crumble as govt depts pass buck
By Hasan Mansoor
KARACHI, Feb 12: Not a single penny out of the Rs100 million, allocated by the Sindh government, has been spent on the maintenance and rehabilitation of the archeological sites of the historical significance of Sindh despite a lapse of more than seven months, well-placed sources told Dawn.
The provincial government allocated Rs100 million for renovation, repairs and rehabilitation of historical and heritage sites in the budget but so far the finance department has not released funds because the authorities are unsure which department is supposed to undertake the task since there is no provincial archaeology department.
The finance department had earlier approached the services and works department asking it to furnish a list of the projects so that funds could be released. The services and works department informed the finance department they had nothing to do with archaeological and heritage sites and suggested they take up the matter with the culture and tourism department,” said the source.
The finance department received a similar response from the culture department saying they had nothing to do with the subject. However, they referred the matter to the director-general projects and special initiatives of the services and general administration department.
The director-general projects and special initiatives was finally entrusted the task and asked to identify schemes for renovation or rehabilitation of historical monuments during this financial year.
Ten schemes were then submitted to the finance department with a total estimated cost of Rs135.87 million.
These schemes include the shrine of Mian Nasir Mohammad Kalhoro and graveyard Khairpur Nathan Shah, District Dadu, Freemason’s Hall Karachi, Dabgir Mosque Thatta, Baloch Tombs near Murad Memon Goth Karachi, Ghazi Khan’s Tomb and the graveyard near the shrine at Lakhi Shah Saddar, Sewhan, District Jamshoro, Umerkot Fort, Bhurghari Graveyard Tando Jehan near Tando Fazal Hyderabad, Pir Lakho, district Thatta, Graveyard and historic mosque at Pir Patho, district Thatta and Rashdi Mosque Naudero, district Larkana.
The expected completion mismanagement,of the first nine projects is December while restoration work on Rashid Mosque Naudero is expected to be completed in October. The funds release are still awaited, said the well-placed sources.
