ABBOTTABAD: The archaeology and museum department has asked the deputy commissioner of Abbottabad to ensure the preservation of the historical building of the Cantonment Board Office and Station Headquarters Office declaring it a national heritage.

The development comes amid reports about the proposed demolition of the building to put up a shopping mall.

DC Amir Afaq told Dawn that the issue was related to the federal and provincial governments and that he held a detailed meeting with the cantonment executive officer about it.

He said he was hopeful about the early amicable resolution of the issue.

The DC said the pointed raised by both parties would be thoroughly examined.

In a letter written on Jan 16, 2019, the regional office of the archaeology department informed the DC that Abbottabad city had numberless British era monuments, including the Cantonment Board Office building, which was put up in 1933.

It added that the building came under the preview of the KP Antiquities Act, 2016, whose violation by causing destruction or damage to protected or important heritage historical building would lead to the handing down of Rs2 million fine and five years imprisonment or both.

Social activist Mehmood Aslam claimed that the proposed shopping complex of the cantonment board would be constructed at the historical building’s site.

He said the razing of the building would be a great loss to the city, which attracted tourists in large numbers every year.

The social activist said the city founded by Major James Abbottabad in 1853 had some artful buildings, which should be preserved for being an asset for the city.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2019