GUJAR KHAN: Pakka Khanpur Fort, a centuries-old monument, continues to be a living example of the criminal neglect of the authorities concerned.

According to the historical records, this fort was built by Sher Shah Suri, who ruled a large part of the subcontinent in 1537-1538.

During his reign, Suri had faced resistance from the Ghakhars - a local tribe - with their headquarters based in Pharwala.

The Pharwala and Rawat forts in the Potohar region were strongholds of Ghakhars who resisted the rule of Suri.

Along with Rohtas Fort in neighbouring Jhelum, Suri built the fort in Pakka Khanpur to house his armies in a bid to crush the Ghakhars.

Dung cakes plastered on main gate, crumbling walls source of bricks for locals

Pakka Khanpur Fort was also important to keep an eye on the corridors to the Kashmir valley as well.

This fort had such a strategic importance that it was also mentioned in Tozak-i-Jahangiri, the most famous book of Mughal Emperor Jahangir, who is said to have visited this fort in light of its strategic value.

This fort also gets its mention in Hari Ram Gupta’s history of the Sikhs in December 1796 when Shah Zaman Durrani marched on Lahore from Sarai Pakka Khanpur.

In spite of his historical importance, there has been no attention paid to the preservation and maintenance of this monument.

At present, this fort houses a colony of inhabitants who were first settled here as migrants, and now their population continues to swell, diminishing the boundaries and posts of the fort.

In stark contrast to its medieval glory, the fort currently is smeared with dung cakes while its crumbling walls are providing citizens with bricks to construct new rooms for themselves.

In order to make the walls of the fort dung-free, the authorities need to provide people living inside the fort with natural gas as well as initiate programmes to preserve its boundary walls, according to locals.

According to the residents of the neighbouring areas, the upkeep of this fort is not an arduous task, as major parts of its boundary are still in good shape, with the eastern and northeastern sides and corner posts needing slight repairs.

The main gate of the fort facing north in front of the Nullah Kansi is also not spared from dung cakes which have turned the entire edifice into an eyesore.

The district administration can at least warn residents not to vandalise this key site, but multiple complaints have fallen on deaf ears.

The PTI government had made tall claims of preserving the archaeological and historical site, but no practical steps were seen on the ground in this regard, commented Khawaja Naeem, a resident of the area.

There is a dire need that special teams of archaeological engineers from the archaeology department should conduct a much-needed survey of the site and devise a comprehensive plan for the maintenance and rehabilitation of this monument.

When this correspondent contacted Dr Fareeha Tajamal, director general of the archaeology and tourism department, the office stated that the fort was not enlisted in their protected sites.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2023