SHC bars culture dept from ‘disturbing’ Khanabadosh Writers’ Cafe

Directs dept to set up a digital library with space for 500 persons

HYDERABAD: In the petition challenging the closure of Khanabadosh Writers' Cafe by Sindh Culture Department, the Sindh High Court barred the department on Thursday from 'disturbing' the cafe, underlining that such spaces should be opened in all districts of Sindh. The bench of Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry also directed the department to set up a digital library in Hyderabad with space for 500 persons.

Admittedly there is no innovation centre in Sindh to provide a place for such intellectuals to gather peacefully, share and create art to explain our culture, observed the bench. "Therefore, space(s) in every district with sufficient funds is the need of the time for which the culture department is always supposed to work."

The court emphasised that the object of such spaces should only be to promote art and culture instead of commercial gains, a reference to the rent agreement signed by the cafe's Prof Amar Sindhu and the department. The department sealed the cafe, located in Benazir Bhutto Children Park in the premises of Sindh Museum, on July 21 citing a violation of the agreement and non-payment of utility bills and rent.

A group of 12 lecturers, writers and activists, who claimed to be members of the cafe, filed a petition in the SHC against the department's bid to close the cafe. The bench noted that the cafe organised scholarly sessions; literary events, book launches and musical events; and poetry sessions.

The SHC withdrew the contempt notice which was issued to Sindh Provincial Museum Hyderabad Director SM Raza Rizvi after he submitted that the department has unsealed the cafe on the court's order and handed over its possession back to Sindhu.

The SHC not only restricted the department from closing the cafe, it went on to direct the officials to submit a proposal for further strengthening the cafe by providing them funds. "... with limitations confining activities purely to the field of culture and arts."

The court ordered the petitioners and the department to mutually prepare a mechanism which is beneficial for both the parties. "...we are of the view that activities shall not be disturbed by the Culture Department rather they shall be compensated and appreciated."

The court asked Sindh Culture, Tourism and Antiquities Department Secretary to submit a report about the steps taken for opening innovation centres, public libraries and places specified for artists in the province.

Libraries

The court took on record the report of Hyderabad Commissioner Muhammad Abbass Baloch about Shamsul Ulema Daudpoto Library which is located in the vicinity of the museum. The report pointed out the shortcomings like lack of air-conditioning, no back-up arrangement of electricity, dearth of book cataloguing, insufficient space, vacant posts and no mechanism of preserving the books.

The library's new building was inaugurated in 1985 when the city's population was less than a million people. The commissioner recommended preservation of precious books, construction of additional halls, digitalisation of the library, computerised cataloguing of books, registration of members; provision of computers, water filter and cooler machines, alternative electricity arrangement and installation of air-conditioners.

The commissioner also recommended that the heritage buildings like Basant Hall, Cooperative Bank, Regional Office of National Bank of Pakistan on Risala Road and the Ladies Club should be turned into the libraries. The SHC ordered the concerned authorities to remove the shortcomings and implement the recommendations.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2019.