LAHORE: The Punjab government has transferred seven monuments, including Shalamar Gardens, a Unesco world heritage site, to the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) from the Punjab Archeology Department, which was earlier administering these sites.

The other monuments transferred to the WCLA are Shahdara Complex, Tomb of Jahangir, Tomb of Nur Jahan, Tomb of Asif Jah, Akbar Sarai and Tomb of Qutbuddin Aibak.

Sources told Dawn that lack of proper care of these monuments made the Punjab government transfer these structures of great historical significance to the WCLA. They said a major reason behind this transfer was the visit of Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi to the Lahore Fort where he did not find the upkeep of the monument and its condition satisfactory.

After the CM’s visit, a meeting was called that was attended by the secretaries concerned and the chief secretary. During the meeting, it was conveyed to the relevant stakeholders that things were not going well regarding the care of the monuments. The meeting was told that the WCLA was working in an organised manner and it had international partnerships with cultural institutions such as Agha Khan Trust for Culture so it would be appropriate to give these monuments under the supervision of the authority.

The sources said a cabinet meeting was later held in which this issue was again discussed and the monuments were officially handed over to the WCLA.

WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari confirmed that seven monuments had been officially transferred to the WCLA.

When asked how the authority would manage to have more staff to look after seven more monuments, which had come now under its control, the DG said the WCLA would not hire new staff and the employees already working under the Punjab Archeology Department would keep on working there.

“Only the higher management of the Punjab Archeology Department will not look after the matters of these monuments now,” he made it clear.

To this question that the WCLA itself had asked for these monuments, the DG vehemently denied any such report, saying the WCLA did not ask for these monuments on its own.

When asked about the conservation and restoration of the Shalamar Gardens, Mr Lashari said he had talked to the Agha Khan Trust for Culture for the conservation and restoration of the gardens.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2023