Historic ship awaits restoration for tourism
More than 150 years ago, Grand Steamer, a rare ship, sailed in the Indus river near Dera Ghazi Khan. The ship that met the travel and trade needs of the people of the region for 70 years can be restored to its original condition to be used for tourism.
The steamer ship was a masterpiece of maritime engineering of its time. The steam-powered vessel was launched into the waters of the Indus in 1868 by the Delhi-based shipping company Hamilton Liverpool.
The old Ghazi Ghat situated on the river bank between Rajanpur to the south and Dera Ismail Khan to the north was used for travel and goods delivery for the people of towns and villages along the river route. Even today, large numbers of people come to see this historic ship but mostly are disappointed by its condition.
The railway station of old Dera Ghazi Khan was also located at Ghazi Ghat. The goods arriving by the steamer were sent to the whole of Punjab by train. Along with the local population, the ship was a great facility of transportation for the people of Muzaffargarh and Multan. The ship operated regularly as per the schedule until 1936 and then occasionally until 1940.
After the construction of the present Ghazi Ghat bridge in 1985, the ship anchored on the west bank of the river but gradually the river changed its course and now it is sunk in fields far from the water. Its first floor is completely underground, while the second floor is still visited by tourists visiting the Indus river.
The Punjab government has declared the historic steamer unusable and it was auctioned in 1994. A local MNA, Sardar Muhammad Jaffer Khan Leghari, acquire it in the auction and tried to restore it. The restoration cost was estimated at more than Rs20 million. However, many valuables were stolen from the steamer and a case was also registered in this regard. The National Assembly member reportedly still intends to restore it.
Talking to The Express Tribune, a tourist visiting the Indus, Fahad Naseer, said the government should take immediate steps to preserve the heritage site and by restoring it to its original state. He was accompanied by Mohammad Noman and Mohammad Zafar who said Mohammad Noman and Mohammad Zafar who stressed the need to preserve the history linked with the ship and the skills involved in its structure to attract tourists.
They said the steamer should be added to the archaeological heritage to preserve the historical engineering masterpiece under public-private partnership for promoting tourism and culture.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 11th, 2021.