BAHAWALPUR: The local museum will be upgraded with a view to converting it into a research-oriented, informative and recreational centre in south Punjab.

This was decided at a meeting of the Board of Governors (BoG) held here on Friday under the chairmanship of ex-senator Saood Majid Chaudhry of the PML-N.

According to a press release, the BoG decided to take comprehensive measures to make the museum more functional and effective for which talented and industrious people, experts and more manpower would be inducted [on merit].

Besides, the board also pledged to utilise all the available resources for which the assistance of the respective departments would be sought.

In another development, the board approved the proposal of the official member/divisional commissioner Saqib Zafar to establish a “heritage registration office” in the museum with the creation of a vacancy of heritage registrar. An expert would be recruited for the purpose.

On the occasion, the commissioner gave a detailed briefing on his proposal to set up the heritage registration office for which a three-member panel had done valuable work for the collection of the data on the heritage buildings and monuments that existed in the former Bahawalpur state.

According to Saqib Zafar, the members had already completed spadework to the effect and the task of documentation of historical [run-down] buildings would be carried out.

He said with the documentation of the heritage of defunct state of Bahawalpur, national and international tourists, local population and those interested in research work would be able to collect valuable information from the treasure of local monuments for their research papers and thesis.

It merits mentioning that work on the collection of the data on the heritage in the former state of Bahawalpur had been initiated by the museum staff and and now it had almost been completed.

The board also approved the recent recruitment of new staffers along with engaging ex-employees.

CRACKDOWN: Deputy Commissioner Rana Muhammad Saleem Afzal has ordered a crackdown on illegal petrol filling outlets across the district.

The DC in a directive to all the assistant commissioners said those involved in the unlawful sale of petrol and working on unregistered sales point would be taken to task.

MELA BEGINS: The festivities of 700-year-old Uch Sharif Mela began here on Saturday.

According to a legend, the event had been organised for the last seven centuries to commemorate the collective sitting of four noted saints in the historic town of Uch Sharif. Hazrat Jalauddind Bokhari, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, Baba Farid Ganj Shakr and Bahaul Haq Zakria Multani used to have their annual meeting in Uch Sharif on this day of Rajab.

A large number of devotees throng the darbars of Uch’s saints namely Jalaluddin Bokhari, Sani Abdul Qadir Mahboob Subhani, Makhdum Jahanian Jahangasht and pray for their families particularly for the marriages of their daughters.

Police and other law-enforcement agencies have taken adequate security measures while the responsibility of looking after the devotees lay with the Auqaf department. The mela will conclude on Sunday night.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2018