Preserving heritage: Walled City of Multan Authority on the cards

A summary has been moved to the chief minister in this regard


Our Correspondent November 03, 2015
A view of Haram Gate in Multan. PHOTO: FILE

MULTAN:


A steering committee, constituted to oversee the renovation and repair of Haram Gate and its adjoining areas, has sent Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif a summary requesting him to constitute a Walled City of Multan Authority. The summary suggests that the authority’s key purpose would be to conserve the historical heritage of Multan, with key focus on old derelict buildings in the Shah Gardez (the Shrine of Muhammad Yousaf Gardezi), Umar Farooq Bazaar and Musa Pak Shaheed Darbar areas.


The steering committee met on Tuesday to discuss the modalities of the restoration of Haram Gate and surrounding areas. The participants were told that the government had released the first installation of Rs139 million for this purpose with the idea to launch sustainable social, economic and environmental revitalisation of the historic core of Multan city.

They were told that the chief minister had allocated Rs251 million for the renovation and restoration of Haram Gate and surrounding areas, Musafir Khana, and Musa Pak Shaheed shrine. An 85-metre portion of the one-kilometre long Sarafa Bazaar would be decorated under the project as well. The participants were told that an international consultant would be hired for the project. Technical assistance for the project would be requested from Italy, the Walled City of Lahore Authority, the Infrastructure Design and Management Group and the PTCL, the WAPDA and the WASA, among others.

The meeting was chaired by Adviser to Chief Minister on Prisons Chaudhry Arshad Saeed and Local Government and Rural Development Secretary Khalid Masood Chaudhry, among others, attended it.

The chief minister had constituted the steering committee to monitor renovation of Haram Gate and Musafir Khana. Saeed has been nominated the chairman. MPA Haji Ehsanuddin Qureshi will be a member and the Local Government and Community Development secretary, the Planning and Development secretary, the commissioner (who would also be the authority’s director general), and the DCO (Walled City project director) are ex-officio members of the steering committee.

The chairman has directed relevant officers to ensure that the project is completed before the next financial year – preferably within six months. For this purpose, the steering committee has constituted a recruitment sub-committee to recruit technical staff to ensure the structural stability of monuments and retain the historical facade of the area. They will also be told to ensure maximum utilisation of locally-available material.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th, 2015.

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