HYDERABAD: Commissioner Abbas Baloch has asked the Jamshoro deputy commissioner to get the offices built around the historic Sehwan Fort vacated and identify all encroachments present within its vicinity.

Chairing a meeting of the committee formed by the chief minister for conservation of the fort here on Thursday, he called for a survey of its land through the revenue department. He said all sorts of damage, caused to the structure because of construction activity or any other reasons, should be identified.

The commissioner also directed the officers concerned to get all construction activity around the fort stopped.

He said that expert opinion from the Endowment Fund Trust (EFT) and culture department be obtained so that no development schemes could cause damage to the historic site.

EFT chairman Abdul Hameed Akhund informed the meeting that a French archaeology team had conducted research on Sehwan Fort between 1996 and 2002. The research suggested that it could reveal information about political and cultural life of the region dating back to four centuries BC. He said that the EFT had now undertaken to conserve the fort.

Expressing his pleasure over EFT’s willingness to preserve the historic site, the commissioner noted that weather conditions had affected the structure and it was necessary to get the damage repaired.

The meeting also discussed various ideas for the promotion of culture and tourism in the division.

Archaeology expert and former vice chancellor of Khairpur University Dr Neelofar Sheikh, Jamshoro DC Farid Mustafa, Director General of Culture Manzoor Kanasro and others attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2020