SWAT: The Directorate of Archaeology and Museum has asked the district administration to impose Section-4 of the land requisition on the house of the former ruler of Swat state to declare it a national heritage.
The directorate through a letter has stated that it intends to purchase the house of Wali-i-Swat, who led his whole life for the prosperity and welfare of people by promoting education, building schools, hospitals, and roads in the region.
The residency of Wali-i-Swat is an important heritage building and the directorate is interested in its preservation and conservation as it will play a vital role in development of Swat valley heritage.
The deputy commissioner has been requested to impose Section-4 of the land acquisition Act 1894 on the building and provide the same for publication in the government gazette.
The local cultural activists said that it was their longstanding demand to declare the house of the former ruler of Swat a heritage and protect it for the coming generations.
“The former rulers made Swat a developed state by their visionary rule and spread a network of educational institutes, health facilities and roads. They constructed grand buildings of landmark architecture across the Swat state including the royal residence,” said Amjad Ali Sahaab. He added that unfortunately after the merger of the state with Pakistan, many such buildings were destroyed by the authorities.
Mr Sahaab said that the civil society constantly demanded of the government to protect and declare the residential building of the rulers of the former Swat state in Saidu Sharif. “We are happy that the government decided to protect and preserve the building and declare it a heritage building,” he added.
Cultural activists said that Swat state had its own architectural style. “Research has been conducted on the architecture of buildings constructed during the Swat state,” said Jawad Iqbal.
The cultural activists also said that there were other buildings constructed during the Swat state era that must be declared heritage so that those could be preserved for coming generations.
Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2021