Saving face: Municipal committee asked to vacate Gor Gathri premises

K-P govt decides to vacate municipal committee, tourism dept offices located at historical Gor Gathri.

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to vacate the municipal committee and tourism department offices located at the historical Gor Gathri and hand them over to the archaeology department immediately.

It has also decided to impose Section IV on the residence of famed Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar and ensure the preservation of the Sethi houses. Section IV of the buildings act pertains to the preservation and restoration of historical and cultural structures.

Archaeology director Dr Abdul Samad said the chief minister’s adviser, Amjid Afridi, visited different parts of the city. During Afridi’s visit to Gor Gathri, he came across offices of the municipal committee and tourism department upon which he took notice and directed the officials to move them to another place and restore the area as a tourism spot, added Samad.

Samad said the adviser not only visited Gor Gathri but also the former residence of Dilip Kumar and the Sethi houses. Afridi took notice of the dilapidated condition of the structures and directed they be preserved and secured from further deterioration.

Afridi had hinted the government would soon purchase the house of Raj Kapoor and declare it a cultural heritage site, said Samad. Afridi also maintained that most of the historical places would be opened for the public to visit them.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2014.