LAHORE, Oct 31: The ban on holding private functions at the Lahore Fort will continue, says information secretary Taimur Azamt. At a press conference here on Tuesday, he said a total ban on functions was not a better idea because of public interest, however, any such permission was only subject to experts’ approval.

He said the state functions could not be banned in the fort. There had been a ban on any commercial function in all monuments, he said.

He said a Rs40 million drainage project was under way to save the outer wall of the Shalamar Gardens. The government would also acquire 106 houses adjacent to the Shalamar Gardens for developing a buffer zone there.

Unesco director (Islamabad) Jorge Sequeira said it would provide a financial support of one million dollars for mapping the monuments of the NWFP, in collaboration with the provincial government.

He said Unesco was satisfied with the Punjab government for its conservation work of the fort and Shalamar Gardens.

Punjab Archaeology Department director-general Orya Maqbool Jan said the department would take well care of the federally-administered monuments once they were handed over to Punjab.