Islamic art gallery opens after 3 years

KARACHI: Our forefathers have done their part in preserving our Islamic heritage, commented the Federal Culture Minister at the inauguration ceremony of the Quran and Islamic Arts gallery at the National Museum on Monday.

“Now it is our turn to make the new generation aware of its role in protecting the religious heritage,” he added. The minister, Pir Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, was the chief guest at the inauguration of the gallery that has opened after three years of renovation. Additional Secretary Ministry of Culture S M Tahir said that that work on Quran and Islamic Arts Gallery should have started much before. “We are lucky to have invaluable Islamic monuments which many other countries cannot boast of,” he said.

He also said that the government should give more funds to the Archaeology Department so that it could work more effectively. Jilani said that the culture department lacks funds, which is why the many cultural and heritage sites in the country are often neglected. Later, Project Director Mohammad Shah Bukhari briefed the minister on historical Quranic manuscripts, Islamic pottery, glazed tiles and other exhibitions being displayed at the museum.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 25th, 2010.