KARACHI:
I have always read Dr Sadia Pasha Kamran’s writings with great interest and have invariably found them insightful and intellectually stimulating. Her latest op-ed, ‘Echoes of Heritage: Lahore’s Past and Future’, published in these columns on June 19 is no exception. What makes this piece particularly moving is that it treats heritage not as an assemblage of dead monuments but as a living memory intimately woven into the spiritual and cultural fabric of Lahore.
Framing the essay as a letter to Hazrat Ali Hajwiri (Data Sahib) lends it a rare tenderness and humility, while its central reminder — that buildings not only possess physical form but also an organic spirit and collective memory — is both profound and timely. At a time when modernisation is too often confused with replacement and commercial utility with progress, this beautifully crafted essay serves as a powerful plea for preserving not only the material fabric of our historic city but also its soul. Cities, like individuals, derive their identity from memory and when that memory is erased, something irreplaceable is lost.
Thank you Dr Sadia for yet another thought-provoking piece. One hopes that such voices will continue to inspire us to regard the preservation of Lahore’s architectural and cultural heritage not merely as an exercise in conservation, but also as an act of gratitude to history and a responsibility towards future generations.
Dr Intikhab Ulfat
Karachi
