ISLAMABAD: The doors to the Islamabad Museum have been shut indefinitely, depriving dignitaries, researchers, students and general visitors of access to its collection of Stone Age, Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic period artefacts discovered during archaeological surveys and exploration.

The museum is temporarily housed in the Sir Syed Memorial building, which was sealed in January last year following a court case between the Sir Syed Memorial Society and the private educational institution Centre for Advance Studies in Engineering (Case) over non-conforming use of the facility.

The main entrance, however, was exempt and kept open for public access to the museum.

The museum is temporarily housed in the Sir Syed Memorial building, which was sealed in January last year

Although the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the memorial society and Case vacated the building after 15 years, the premises was sealed again in July.

“The front doors have been shut since, affecting routine activities of the museum, which cannot receive in a respectable manner, research scholars, students and also dignitaries from embassies, who visit to explore the cultural heritage of Pakistan,” said a source in the National History and Literary Heritage Division.

According to the Sir Syed Memorial Society, the Capital Development Authority (CDA), which sealed the premises, has given no reason for the closure.

“The society has written to the CDA to unseal the building now that the tenants have vacated the facility and because the activities of the museum are being affected,” said an official from the society.

Officials from the Heritage Division said that one of the embassies were not able to hold activities to celebrate Buddha. A visit from cultural attaché of the United States embassy is also scheduled on Dec 14.

“It is particularly embarrassing when foreign official guests visit the museum and see a tape sealing the gates, and then they have to enter the museum through the emergency door only,” an official from the National History and Literary Heritage Division said.

The administration has also been unable to receive a consignment of artefacts from the Taxila Museum that are awaiting repatriation to complete the exhibition at Islamabad Museum.

From 2 million year old stone tools to statues of the Buddha and Mughal art, gem-studded swords, miniature paintings on paper and on ivory, pots of clay and pure gold and various other items, the museum has drawn the attention of state dignitaries, diplomats, local art enthusiasts and students.

When CDA spokesperson Syed Safdar was contacted, he declined to comment immediately.

Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2018