PESHAWAR, Feb 17: The Cultural Heritage Council (CHC), a local organisation, has expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of historical places and asked the government to protect these sites.

CHC president Younas Qiasi, Shakil Waheedullah Khan, Bakhtiar Agha and Shahab Khattak said that influential people occupied the historical Shahi Bagh. They said that the garden had been reduced to few kanals from its originally allotted land of 610 kanals. Addressing a gathering at Shahi Bagh, they said that owing to non-implementation of Antiquities Act 1997, most of the old relics faced danger of diminishing. According to them, out of 150 historical sites in the province, only two had been preserved.

The CHC, they said, was striving to force the relevant authorities to take measures for restoration of the past glory of the province by preservation of heritage that could remind the new generation about their forefathers.

Many of the old sites had international significance but those were decaying owing to lack of attention by the government, they said. They added that people should be made aware about their cultural heritage.

They said that Peshawar once used to be the city of flowers but encroachers occupied government’s properties, mainly gardens, in the city. “We are advocating protection of old places as these are source of confidence for the people. —Bureau Report