KARACHI, May 13: The fate of about 115 workers of the department of archaeology and museums hangs in the balance as the ministry of culture has not yet revoked the decision of shifting the department to Lahore.

Well-placed sources in the archaeology department, which is housed in a building on Sharea Quaideen, said that no matter what the federal minister for culture, S.K. Tressler, said — that the artefacts and books would not be moved to Lahore — the department had not received any communication rescinding the previous order of shifting.

Talking to newsmen on Sunday, the federal minister for information, Nisar Memon, had quoted the culture minister as saying that the artefacts and the library of the department of archaeology and museums would not be shifted from Karachi to Lahore.

A government order [No 20A/1/93 - Arch (Admn)] was issued on May 3 which stated that in the first phase the publication branch and planning and development branch were being shifted by May 15 to the Lahore Fort.

The sources said: “As the federal culture ministry has not issued a new order, the previous order remains valid. Therefore, the department of archaeology and museums will be shifted to Lahore according to the original plan.”

The director-general of the archaeology department, Saeed-ur- Rehman, admitted that the headquarters of the department would be shifted to Lahore.

“The shifting of the archaeology department’s headquarters from Karachi to Lahore was long overdue. Accordingly, the headquarters of the archaeology department will move to Lahore shortly.”

Mr Rehman added that the department’s artefacts — about 150,000 — as well as the library, containing more than 50,000 books, would remain in the city.

Archaeology department sources said that the shifting order would hit 64 workers, as well as 17 officers (grade 16 and above), in the headquarters who would be made to move to Lahore. Some Class IV employees, such as peons, drivers and sweepers, who were normally locally recruited, would also be transferred to Lahore.

An official of the archaeology department, requesting anonymity, said the shifting move would negatively affect workers, particularly low-ranking ones, because even if they received an accommodation allowance — which had not yet been promised — moving to Lahore and parting with their families would be an expensive proposition for them.

Another official stressed the need for keeping the archaeology department close to the Sindh-based sites of the Indus Valley Civilization. He pointed out that following a theft case at Moenjodaro, the officials had reached the site without delay.

“Had the department been headquartered in Lahore, the officials would not have managed to reach the site so soon,” he said.

An official told Dawn that because of dotage his father could not remember the location of his home. “We have been living in our locality for a very long time. People of the locality know my father very well. They tell him right directions when he loses his way. Being the eldest member of the family, I am responsible for my father’s care. If I go to Lahore, my father will have a very hard time here.”

Another official said he had purchased uniforms and textbooks for his children at the beginning of a new academic session recently. “If we move to Lahore, I will not only have to get my children admitted to schools but also buy uniforms and textbooks again. The archaeology department will not refund this amount.”

He added that he had enrolled himself in a computer class to learn a new software. “I paid a large sum of money for the software course which would enable me to find a better job. Now if I abruptly go to Lahore, the computer institute will not refund the money. I will suffer two losses. First, I will have to part with the amount of money I paid to the computer institute. Second, my chances for a better job will stand ruined.”