February 27, 2007	Tuesday	Safar 9, 1428

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Lahore Feb 26: The federal government on Monday cancelled a notification regarding the transfer of 150 monuments to Punjab.

An official statement issued by the provincial government in the evening said “the federal government has cancelled the notification dated Feb 23, 2007, regarding the transfer of ownership, administration and management of 150 monuments to the Punjab government falling in its territorial jurisdiction.”

The provincial government was prepared to take the ownership of the historical sites on Monday morning after the issuance of a notification by the Establishment Division, but the Federal Culture Ministry intervened to stop the process.

The federal culture minister said first Punjab should submit its proposal seeking ownership of the sites.

Punjab Archaeology Department Director General Oriya Maqbool Jan said the culture ministry and the establishment division should remove differences over the notification issued by the establishment division. He said he was not in a hurry to take control of the monuments.

He said federal archaeology officials were right to refuse the handing over of the monuments to Punjab since they had to seek permission from their ministry.

Culture Minister Dr GG Jamal said he would form a committee to prepare a report on the condition of three federal monuments already handed over to Punjab.

The federal government had given the ownership of Shalamar Gardens, Lahore Fort and Katas to Punjab.

Dr Jamal said if the Punjab government wanted to own federal monuments, it would have to submit a proposal mentioning that how much money it could allocate to maintain those monuments. He said he had also formed other committees to oversee cultural activities.

“I will do what I feel good about the monuments,” he added. He asked if Punjab had properly maintained its 247 monuments.

Sources told Dawn that Jan met the officials of several departments at the Lahore Fort on Monday to prepare lists of encroachments at historical sites. The meeting also discussed the issue of transfer of monuments. Federal archaeology department’s northern circle officials said unless Archaeology Director General Fazl Dad Kakar ordered them, they would not cooperate regarding transfer of monuments.