WCLA report sought on conservation project approval

LAHORE : The Lahore High Court on Wednesday directed the Walled City of Lahore Authority to submit a detailed report on conservation project on a petition challenging alleged establishment of a restaurant at the Lahore Fort, the world heritage site.

Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh passed the order, observing that if the conservation work was being carried out at the world heritage site, the court should be informed whether the approval for the conservation was taken or not, and who experts were consulted.

Advocate Khurram Chughtai, who represented the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), said that no construction or alteration work was being carried out at the site; it was conservation which was being done in the light of the authority’s own laws. The counsel said that Antiquities Act (amendment) 2012 which was mentioned by the petitioner in his argument did not apply at the site as it fell under the WCLA that worked under its own law.

However, the judge asked the counsel to apprise the court whether approval for conservation was taken from any relevant expert. The counsel said that the authority itself was responsible to carry out conservation work and under the law, it was not bound to get consultation. The counsel said that no construction was being carried out, it was conservation programme which was carried out by the authority where nothing would be destructed or constructed. He said  WCLA had an exclusive statuary mandate to conserve heritage with its jurisdiction, including Lahore Fort. He said it executed significant heritage conservation projects, including conservation and re-development of Shahi Guzargah and Masjid Wazir Khan and its surroundings.

The counsel said that all activities with respect to “Lahore Fort Conservation Project” including Conservation & Adaptive Re-use of Royal Kitchen’ were being carried on in accordance with the applicable law i.e. WCL Act 2012 , the Unesco-Operational Guidelines and International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites.  

The counsel said there would be no demolition or destruction  of  the existing structures in any manner rather the same were being conserved to the original levels and looks in collaboration with Agha Khan Trust for Culture and the all conservation activities were being done without affecting the heritage value of the Lahore Fort. He prayed to the court to dismiss the petition for being non-maintainable.

Syed Abdal Zaidi had filed the petition alleging that the authority had allowed construction/alteration at Lahore Fort for establishment of a restaurant. He said it would damage the fort which was also a world heritage site.

The petitioner said that the authority by doing so had violated the Antiquities Act (amendment) 2012. He prayed to the court to take action against the responsible and bar them from establishing any restaurant there.  The court would resume hearing on September 28.