BAHAWALPUR, May 2: As the distribution process of late Nawab Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi's property among his legal heirs and their descendants is in progress, the general public and people from various profession have expressed desire that at least the historical buildings should be made part of the national heritage.

A cross-section of society, while talking to Dawn, said the palaces and the Derawar Fort should best be preserved by taking the late Nawab's legal heirs into confidence and evaluating the palaces.

They said grandeur of the Nawab's palaces could be preserved if the government purchased and restored these. The forts, including Derawar, Marot, Mirgarh, Jamgarh, Sardargarh, Khangarh and Khairgarh, which had already been crumbled, should be taken over by the government for preservation.

Islamia University's department of history and Pakistan studies chairman Prof Dr Syed Asif Rizvi suggested that if these palaces were declared national heritage, the university's teachers and students could do their research work on the family. He said historians could also benefit from these places, which would also prove useful for the future generations.

Bahawalpur Museum Director Hafiz Husain Ahmad Madni while endorsing the view said after granting the "heritage status" to the palaces, these should be handed over to the tourism department instead of the archaeology department, which had failed to maintain the old and historic buildings.

He was of the view that as Bahawalpur was rich in culture and civilizations, these should be preserved at all cost. Educationists Nasim Ahmad Jaffery and Hafiz Muhammad Qasim (former IG Prisons) have also supported the idea. Mr Jaffery disclosed that he had already put this proposal to former MNA Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi, one of the legal heirs, and impressed upon him that there was a need for the preservation of former Bahawalpur state's palaces and other historic buildings.

Hafiz Qasim observed that he would like to see the late Nawab's historical palace saved from destruction. He said that legal heirs should also extend cooperation in this matter.

He reminded that the Indian government had already preserved all such buildings and palaces of the states' maharajas, princes and nawabs. He added that even the buildings of the temples, owned by some of the past Indian states' rulers, had been protected by the government.

According to District Bar Association President Malik Ijaz Saeed, the lawyers would always support any such move, which aimed at preserving national and historic culture of the former Bahawalpur state. He said it was good idea that the palaces and forts of the late Nawab be retained by the government, who should pay their price to late Nawab's legal heirs.

The DBA, he said, could also pass resolution in this respect. He added that now when District Nazim Tariq Cheema had been nominated the committee chairman to look after the Bahawalpur museum, he, too, should feel this responsibility for the preservation of palaces after the heritage status was granted by the government.

Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sheikh Abbas Raza said it would be a great service to the nation and coming generations. Besides, a number of government employees, traders, NGOs and students have expressed the desire that magnificent palaces should not be ignored by the government.

The late Nawab's palaces included Darbar Mahal, Gulzar Mahal, Noor Mahal and the Sadiqgarh Palace at Dera Nawab Sahib. It is learnt that the Noor Mahal has been sold out to the Pakistan Army.

The Darbar Mahal and Gulzar Mahal are in the possession of the army while the Sadiqgarh Palace was desealed after several years in February this year. Among the forts, Derawar is the most attractive place for the tourists and visitors, though it is crumbling fast.

The other forts located in the desert are almost vanishing fast and it will be the government, which could only restore them as lot of funds will be required for their restoration in original forms.

Meanwhile, the literary circles are of the view that the old and historic books recovered from the Sadiqgarh Palace after its desealing should be donated to the Central Library, Bahawalpur, which was also established by the late Nawab in 1924.