PESHAWAR: The Institute of Architects Pakistan (IAP) has urged the government to approve service structure for architects and implement Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Antiquity Act, 2016 in real sense to preserve the national heritage.

Addressing a conference here on Monday, IAP president for Peshawar Mansoor Ahmed Khan said that there was no service structure for architects working in the government departments. He urged the government to accept the demands of architects and resolve their issues.

The conference was organised by IAP in connection with World Architecture Day.

Mr Khan said that a three-day international conference and building material exhibition would be held on October 8. He said that architects from abroad and across the country would attend the event.

He said that three architects from Turkey and one from Nepal would address the conference to highlight regional challenges and their sustainable solution.

He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shah Farman would inaugurate the event in Peshawar Services Club.

The IAP chief said that there was no design advisory committee in the province that could devise architecture policy. He said that the post of chief architect also did not exist in the province.

About Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, he said that it was a useful scheme but it also put bad effects on the environment of Peshawar.

He demanded of the government to involve local community in development of the landscape and tree plantation on the BRT route to revive the past glory of Peshawar.

Mr Khan said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the home of the great civilisation as it had rich heritage. He said that Peshawar was one of the oldest cities.

Flanked by other architects including Zulfiqar Ali, Tahir Khattak, Imran Khalil and Mir Wali Shah, he said that World Architecture Day was being observed on October 1 every year since 1986 by International Union of Architects.

He urged the relevant people to participate in the event to share useful information about the significance of the profession and its importance in the modern world.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2018