Heritage Day: ‘City blessed with plenty of historical sites’

Foundation organises awareness drive, gathering in Lahore.


Our Correspondent April 18, 2015
The Badshahi Mosque's construction was ordered by Mughal Emperor Aurangzheb. PHOTO: UMER IMAM UD DIN

LAHORE: Lahore Shanasi Foundation chief executive Faizan Abbas said on Saturday that the city had been blessed with a plenty of historical sites.

He was speaking at an awareness drive and gathering organised near the Press Club by the foundation in connection with the World Heritage Day. Abbas said heritage sites were important assets for every country. He said the nation and the city had been especially lucky on this account. Abbas said such a great number of historical places dotted the city that it was incumbent on the people to take up the responsibility of preserving them as these sites were not owned by the government. He said marking the day was a befitting way of raising public awareness about places of historical interest and exhorting people to look after them.

Abbas expressed regret over the fact that the government had not done much to mark the day. He expressed hope that the society would be able to raise awareness regarding the day through research and debate.

Abbas told The Express Tribune that the foundation had recently distributed information on the urs of Mian Mir to raise awareness regarding the tomb’s history among people frequenting the venue on the occasion. He said the foundation had also identified tombs near the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club. Abbas said the foundation had put up a flex containing information regarding those entombed there.

Lahore Shanasi Foundation general secretary Ahmed Hassan said the city had been conquered by different peoples over the course of its history. He said various ruling elites had left their imprint on the city by erecting structures in distinct styles and razing buildings commissioned by earlier rulers. Hassan said people had begun inhabiting scores of such places over time. He said the buildings were in remarkably poor shape and the government should take over such premises.

The participants carried posters of derelict heritage sites in the city and its vicinity. They also distributed booklets regarding the importance of the day and the need to preserve places of historical interest across the nation among passersby.

The foundation has been working on documenting heritage sites in the city and its vicinity since 2012 and educating people regarding their significance.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2015.

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