HYDERABAD, Jan 23: Un authorized occupation of the premises of the Pucca Qila by police and other law-enforcement agencies obstructs the work of restoration of the museum at the site.

The Sindh governor had issued directives to the chief secretary to get archaeological sites and the premises of the Qilla, which is under the administrative control of the archaeology and museum department, vacated from the law-enforcement agencies and make alternative arrangements for them. The governor had asked for a report by Sept 10, 2004.

Sources in the archaeology and museum department told this correspondent that these directives were issued after the department's assistant director, Tahir Saeed, had taken up the matter with the governor.

The governor had directed for vacating archaeological sites in Sindh from unauthorized occupiers. The Pucca Qila is one of such sites where police, Frontier Constabulary and other agencies have set up their offices in the archaeology department's building, including official residence of the director, archaeology, Hyderabad.

The Fort police station is located at the director's residence whereas six other houses of staff members are in possession of FC personnel and other agencies. The godown of the department is also occupied by law-enforcers.

Reports said archaeology department officials planned to restore the Sindh Museum, located next to the residence of director, archaeology, vandalized during ethnic riots of 1980s.

Funds are to be utilized on renovation and repair of the museum building in the current fiscal year. The officials claimed that under the present circumstances people were not willing to visit the museum even if it was open unless the Qilla was vacated from police and other law-enforcement agencies.

They said relics and antiques related to the history of Sindh could also not be displayed for lack of proper arrangements. They said they would submit a plan to the Sindh government provided the entire area was got vacated.

The archaeology department plans to provide a space for a park for general public. Boundary walls of the Qilla have been damaged at different locations. The other major problem of the Pucca Qila is related to encroachments in and around the fort by inhabitants of the Qilla and shopkeepers.

A rehabilitation plan of 260 families whose houses are located in the Qilla's dangerous zone is pending with the Sindh government in spite of the fact that President Gen Pervez Musharraf during his visit to the city on Aug 26, 2003, had committed Rs50 million for the plan.

Union Council Nazim Saleem Khan said the district government had decided to build flats for families who were ready to shift. It was learnt that the home secretary was scheduled to visit the Pucca Qila last month to discuss the issue of getting the Qilla vacated but his visit was postponed twice for unknown reasons. The governor has also not issued any further directives.