DOUBTLESS for an under-resourced, developing country such as Pakistan, putting money aside for what are considered ‘non-essential’ expenditures is a tough ask. It is not surprising that matters of culture and the preservation of heritage end up on the back-burner. Even so, it is essential to remember that these are the very lynchpins that connect the country’s bright future — as claimed by government — with its rich, tapestried history. That these sectors remain inadequately addressed by the state is all the more shocking given that the current government makes much about its dedication to ‘soft power’ concerns such as tourism, environment and heritage. Thus, when last week, the Sindh Minister for Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Syed Sardar Shah said that “I will not beg for alms from the federal heritage ministry”, the bitterness betrayed by his choice of words was regrettable beyond measure.

Mr Shah made these remarks in Hyderabad, after inaugurating the century-old Mukhi House recently renovated as a museum. Accusing the federal government of having completely overlooked Sindh in terms of the conservation of some 3,200 heritage sites, he said that the funds due to the province by the federal heritage ministry had not been released for a long time, and that the centre had denied Sindh its due share in the NFC Award. Despite this, he said, the provincial government was trying its best. That said, he also dilated upon the challenges being faced, referring in particular to the Pucca Qila. This dates back to about 1768, constructed during the Talpur rule over Sindh, and has by now, according to the minister’s estimate, some 80,000 to 100,000 people settled on its premises. True, culture and heritage have been provincial matters since the 18th Amendment, and Sindh has no doubt been lax in matters of preservation. But that does not absolve the centre of its responsibilities in all sectors. Mr Shah’s words serve as a warning that without serious efforts, there will be nothing left of the past to preserve.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2021