SIALKOT, Nov 8: No serious effort has ever been made to preserve the 142-year-old Iqbal Manzil, the birthplace of Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

The district government and the local business community have been unable to honour their commitments in arranging the funds required to save this forgotten national heritage which is now in a state of utter disrepair.

Various social organizations and NGOs drew attention of the district government towards this burning issue, but district Nazim Mian Naeem Javaid preferred to spend millions of rupees on beatifying offices of the Zila Nazim and district government. The district government did not bother to allocate even a single penny for the repair of Iqbal Manzil.

About three years ago, the Sialkot business community had promised to bear all expenditures for the repair and reconstruction of Iqbal Manzil, but so far nothing has been done in this respect.

Its creaked doors, rickety walls and cracked roofs speak of the sheer neglect shown by the authorities concerned. This has also resulted in a marked decline of visitors which have now reduced to only two dozen daily. Earlier, some 300 people would pay visit to the place every day.

The government had purchased the building from Allama Iqbal’s family and handed it over to the Pakistan Archaeology Department, declaring it as a national heritage.

Some of the portions of the building have been reopened to visitors by the present government, but it’s upper storeys are still closed due to their dilapidating condition. Its front elevation is comparatively in better condition as it has been whitewashed while the back portion is entirely ignored.

The Islamabad-based Chinese journalists had visited the Iqbal Manzil on Sept 14 last and expressed their grave concern over the miserable condition of the building. They also urged the Pakistan government to take some effective measures for the upkeep of the building.

Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had also visited the birthplace of Allama Iqbal after his death in 1938 and spoke the people from its balcony.

Various presidents and prime ministers had visited Iqbal Manzil and paid only ‘homage’ to Allama Iqbal, but did nothing for the uplift of the rundown building.

During his recent visits to Sialkot, Governor Khalid Maqbool went every where but he did not visit Iqbal Manzil.

The government has also established a library on Iqbaliyaat at Allama Iqbal’s house but one can hardly benefit from the unique books kept there. Rare pictures of Allama Iqbal and his family also require proper care.

The captions of various pictures also need to be rewritten. Iqbal’s famous hookah, fireplace and other belongings are also catching rust.