ISLAMABAD, March 5: The Supreme Court was told here on Monday that unchecked encroachment around historical monuments have defaced national heritage with the Lahore Fort being the worst hit with 231 such intrusions in and around it.

On a suo motu, a three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi and Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan had taken up the matter of encroachments around the historical sites after news reports appeared in the media regarding "illegal" construction of a plaza around Shaeranwala Gate in the walled city of Lahore in contravention of all rules.

At the last hearing, the apex court had directed the departments concerned to provide a complete list of the historical sites facing the threat of defacing due to encroachments.

In response, Director General Archaeology Department Punjab Orya Maqbool Jan Abbasi told the court that about 3,220 encroachments of different kinds had disfigured 124 historical monuments in Lahore alone despite the fact that these were protected under the Antiquity Act 1975 and the Punjab Special Premises (Preservation) Ordinance 1985.

In a voluminous report, he put the entire blame on the Auqaf Department and the Evacuee Property Trust for leasing or renting out the premises of historical monuments to different people for raising funds by erecting kiosks and other structures.

Such illegal activity has completely defaced at least 70 monuments or sites and has put these historical structures under threat, Mr Abbasi feared. He also requested the apex court to intervene to halt further decaying of such buildings. Certain structures have also been erected around the historical sites due to negligence or connivance of the administration or the custodians of such buildings, he said.

In addition, many houses or buildings have also been constructed in violation of the restriction to build any structure within 200 meters of the protected buildings as defined under the Antiquity Act 1975. The law protects almost 391 archaeological sites and monuments in the country.

Moreover, many buildings which earlier were demolished have been re-erected ignoring the ethics of architectural beauty required in that area thus affecting the skyline of these monuments.

The report suggested that the 1025 AD Lahore Fort has been threatened with 231 encroachments, while 394 encroachments have been built around the Tomb of Jahangir, Akbari Sarai and Mosque, and the Asif Khan Tomb near Shadara.

The southern side of the 16th Century Badshahi Mosque has not been spared also with 11 encroachments, while there are 31 encroachments around Darga Syed Saif Sauf Masjid Wazir Khan, considered to be the jewel of archaeology in the world.

The Tomb of Khwaja Ayyaz, Rang Mahal Lahore has been encroached upon by 140 individuals, while the Shalamar Gardens have been threatened with 105 encroachments. The Tomb and Gardens of Mian Khan have 69 encroachments whereas the Tomb of Mahabat Khan and Boundary Wall Baghbanpura Baghichi Sethan have been encroached upon by 88 individuals.

The Punjab Government has also identified a number of encroachments in different cities like Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujarat and Jhelum.

After perusing the report in detail, the Supreme Court directed the chief secretary, Punjab, to hold meetings with the departments concerned and initiate legal proceedings against those who have encroached upon the historical sites. The court also asked to complete this exercise within three months with an observation that the real intention of the court behind this exercise was to gear up the relevant departments.