Call to protect city’s cultural landmarks
NA body opposes handing over of Lok Virsa, PNCA, other cultural centres to CDA.
ISLAMABAD:
A parliamentary panel opposed the idea of handing over Lok Virsa, National Council of Arts and other cultural centres to Capital Development Authority(CDA) or the cabinet division and proposed to not completely devolve the Ministry of Culture under the 18th Amendment.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Culture met here under the chairmanship of MNA Raza Hayat Hiraj. The majority of members favoured to not completely devolve the cultural ministry which runs the affairs of cultural heritages including Lok Virsa, National Council of Arts, museums and libraries.
Five out of seven participating members stated that the parliamentary committee would recommend to the Implementation Committee of 18th Amendment to not abolish the cultural ministry keeping in view the importance of these heritages.
Under the 18th Amendment, the devolving of the cultural ministry and handing it over to the provinces by February 2011 is on the cards.
In his briefing to the committee, Federal Secretary Cultural Affairs Moeenul Islam Sheikh also proposed the idea to not devolve the entire ministry and retain the national heritage centres with the ministry. He feared the importance and performance of these heritages could be compromised if given under the control of CDA or Cabinet division.
Majority members including the committee chairman endorsed the idea and said that they would write to the implementation committee in this regard. However, the issue was deferred till the next meeting due to opposition by ANP member Pervez Khan, as well as an MQM member who sought time from the committee to consult the matter with her party high ups.
Moreover, the committee expressed its concern over the dilapidated condition of some cultural heritages in the provinces including Shalimar Garden, Lahore, and directed the ministry to write to the provincial governments on behalf of the committee for taking care of these heritages of national significance
The committee also proposed for public-private partnership for preserving, protecting and promoting such cultural heritages if the provincial governments are unable to give attention to them.
Raza Hiraz said after evolving consensus among the committee members for private-public partnership, the committee would present the proposal to the parliament.
He also opposed handing over the cultural heritage to CDA or any other such department, saying that these institutions would be neglected if handed over to the civic bodies.
Those who attended the meeting included PPP MNA Fouzia Habib, Nauman Islam Sheikh, Begum Nasim Akhter Chaudhry, PML-N member Maimona Hashmi, MQM member Dr Naheed Shahid Ali and Pervez Khan of ANP.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2010.
A parliamentary panel opposed the idea of handing over Lok Virsa, National Council of Arts and other cultural centres to Capital Development Authority(CDA) or the cabinet division and proposed to not completely devolve the Ministry of Culture under the 18th Amendment.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Culture met here under the chairmanship of MNA Raza Hayat Hiraj. The majority of members favoured to not completely devolve the cultural ministry which runs the affairs of cultural heritages including Lok Virsa, National Council of Arts, museums and libraries.
Five out of seven participating members stated that the parliamentary committee would recommend to the Implementation Committee of 18th Amendment to not abolish the cultural ministry keeping in view the importance of these heritages.
Under the 18th Amendment, the devolving of the cultural ministry and handing it over to the provinces by February 2011 is on the cards.
In his briefing to the committee, Federal Secretary Cultural Affairs Moeenul Islam Sheikh also proposed the idea to not devolve the entire ministry and retain the national heritage centres with the ministry. He feared the importance and performance of these heritages could be compromised if given under the control of CDA or Cabinet division.
Majority members including the committee chairman endorsed the idea and said that they would write to the implementation committee in this regard. However, the issue was deferred till the next meeting due to opposition by ANP member Pervez Khan, as well as an MQM member who sought time from the committee to consult the matter with her party high ups.
Moreover, the committee expressed its concern over the dilapidated condition of some cultural heritages in the provinces including Shalimar Garden, Lahore, and directed the ministry to write to the provincial governments on behalf of the committee for taking care of these heritages of national significance
The committee also proposed for public-private partnership for preserving, protecting and promoting such cultural heritages if the provincial governments are unable to give attention to them.
Raza Hiraz said after evolving consensus among the committee members for private-public partnership, the committee would present the proposal to the parliament.
He also opposed handing over the cultural heritage to CDA or any other such department, saying that these institutions would be neglected if handed over to the civic bodies.
Those who attended the meeting included PPP MNA Fouzia Habib, Nauman Islam Sheikh, Begum Nasim Akhter Chaudhry, PML-N member Maimona Hashmi, MQM member Dr Naheed Shahid Ali and Pervez Khan of ANP.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 25th, 2010.