KARACHI: The Sindh government has invited proposals for establishment of an archaeological park at the centuries-old Chaukhandi graveyard.

During a visit to the historical cemetery, caretaker Sindh Chief Minister retired Justice Maqbool Baqar ordered the authorities to remove encroachments around the heritage site.

He witnessed the plight of the graveyard and called for preparing a plan to restore the archaeological site on Tuesday.

Local Government Secretary Manzoor Shaikh, Culture Secretary Aleem Lashari, Commissioner Saleem Rajput, archaeologist Dr Kaleem Lashari and others accompanied the CM.

Archaeologist Kaleem Lashari says Unesco is not declaring cemetery ‘international heritage’ because of illegal burials by area residents

According to a spokesperson of CM House, Justice Baqar witnessed that the stone-carved graves and tombs were crumbling and needed an urgent restoration.

He expressed his disappointment over encroachments and illegal structures near the graveyard.

The culture secretary briefed the CM that after18th Amendment the administrative control of the graveyard was transferred to the Sindh government in April 2013.

The CM was told that the Chaukhandi graveyard was declared ‘protected’ area and Unesco placed it on the ‘tentative list’ in 1993.

The Chaukhandi graveyard is spread over an area of 100 acres and contains tombs of warriors of Baloch and Jokhio families settled in this area during the 17th and 18th centuries. Owing to scarcity of dated inscriptions on Chaukhandi tombs, it is difficult to assign exact dates to them.

These tombs are built on raised platforms in a pyramid form with decorative stone slabs covered with human and figurative designs. Most of the tombs represent family graveyards and only a few are placed under pillar canopies.

The carvings on some of the male graves show a horseman with shield, sword, bow and arrow in his arms. The carvings on women’s graves represent ornaments such as bracelets, necklace, rings, anklets, etc.

Dr Kaleem Lashari told the CM that the security hazards included theft of ancient assets and stones from the graveyard.

He added that illegal burials were one of the serious issues as the local people buried their dead in this graveyard as well.

“This is one of the reasons that Unesco did not declare the graveyard as International Heritage,” he said.

The chief minister directed the commissioner to remove the illegal parking of heavy trucks adjacent to the main entrance (boundary wall) of the graveyard.

He directed the deputy commissioner of Malir and the solid waste management board not to allow dumping of garbage near the graveyard.

The CM, on the request of Dr Kaleem Lashari, directed the commissioner of Karachi to start demarcation of the premises of the graveyard so that another entrance wall near the main highway could be constructed to protect the entire area.

The chief minister constituted a committee to suggest ways and means to start ‘face uplift’ of the graveyard and develop archaeological landscapes inside and around the historical site.

“I want to develop the graveyard as an archaeological park where local and international tours would be promoted,” he said and directed the committee to submit him a proposal for the purpose.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2023