HYDERABAD: A fully-fledged inquiry has been recommended against assistant director of archaeology, Hyderabad, for her failure to stop the resumption of construction activity on a controversial plot within the 18th century Pucca Qila, whose purported owner was found to have obtained its lease deed ‘fraudulently’.

Hyderabad deputy commissioner Fuad Ghaffar Soomro cancelled entries of the plot (No.1414) in the record of rights and then called upon the authorities concerned to launch a thorough probe against the official as her actions had raised suspicions as the entire episode unfolded.

“In view of the above facts and after careful scrutiny of available record, reports and the site’s inspection, the undersigned [DC] is of the view that the entries dated July 20, 2000; March 10, 2015, and March 31, 2014, made on the basis of lease deeds issued by Karachi Abadi department of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) are here­by cancelled,” read the DC’s report issued on Aug 31.

He said: “The assistant director of culture, tourism, antiquities and archives department Pucca Qila will be at liberty to approach court for seeking cancellation of ‘registered lease deeds’. Since, the HMC’s municipal commissioner had also declared the lease deed as fraudulently executed through a notification dated Aug 29, 2023, thus it stood null and void”.

DC cancels entries in record of rights, recommends thorough probe

The municipal commissioner said the DC’s report had said the HMC did not own the plot and clearly stated that Sindh culture department was the ‘primary custodian’ of the entire archaeological site, together with the plot, of historical Pucca Qila and was responsible to protect, preserve and safeguard it.

Discussing the assistant director’s role, the DC’s report stated that instead of getting the lease of the so-called ‘commercial’ plot verified by district administration and HMC she forwarded director of settlement survey’s letter of May 9, 2023, to the additional DC-I Hyderabad, which mentioned that “this 292 square yards plot (No.1414) vide lease deed No.2763 is part of Pucca Qila’s total 38-12 acres area. Subsequently, the letter was misused by the present plot owner Mohammad Shaukat as proof of ownership.”

The DC said that she did not stop the construction activity even after the ‘owner’ cleared the plot of debris and garbage and started laying foundations of a building until he (the DC) intervened and got it stopped on Aug 25, 2023, afternoon.

He proposed another inquiry to fix responsibility on Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) Hyderabad officials who had approved basement and ground plus four-storey building on the controversial plot.

No SBCA official bothered to

seek clarification from Sindh culture department or district administration over the building plan for the erection of a commercial plaza at a protected archaeological site.

“It should be made binding on the SBCA to get the nod of the archaeology department and district administration before conferring approval on any building on heritage properties notified by Sindh culture department,” said the report.

He proposed legal action and registration of case under anti-corruption laws aga­inst former or retired HMC officials who had issued lease for the plot despite knowing the fact that it was part of Pucca Qila.

He said the Sindh culture department should get the plot’s lease document issued by the then taluka municipal administration cancelled through civil court or Sindh High Court.

“All possible steps should be taken to ensure protection and preservation of Pucca Qila which is already in shabby condition surrounded by encroachments. HMC should be restrained from issuing any lease for commercial or residential plots inside the Qila,” said the report.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2023