Body to resolve conflict over Lahore Fort control

LAHORE
THE Punjab government has constituted a committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Punjab to resolve the conflict between the Archaeology Department and Walled City Lahore Authority (WCLA) over the control of Lahore Fort, The News has learnt.
Available documents revealed that this was decided in a meeting held on February 21, 2015. The meeting was chaired by the Chief Secretary Punjab while Chairman Planning and Development Board, Secretary Local Government and Community Development, Secretary Archive and Libraries, Secretary Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Secretary Archaeology, DG Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), Commissioner Lahore and others attended the meeting.
In the meeting it was decided that the ACS would convene the meeting of the committee to resolve the duplicity of the control of Lahore Fort and Masjid Wazir Khan between the Archaeology Department and the WCLA for a clear-cut delineation of functions and control. The committee has been directed to submit its detailed report within two weeks. Administrative secretaries of Law, Finance, LG&CD, Archaeology Departments and Director General WCLA are the members of this committee.
Its meeting also decided that the Chief Secretary Punjab would convene a meeting of the Archaeology Board so as to ensure the release of the Punjab Heritage Funds at the earliest. The meeting directed the Chairman P&D to call a meeting for the approval of a comprehensive PC-I about Lahore Fort and Masjid Wazir Khan. The illumination of historic complex will also be part of the PC-I. It has also been directed that the selection and installation of lights will be made with due care along with a sustainable model to be devised for illumination and at least Rs. 400 million will be released every year for this purpose. Furthermore, the chairman P&D will resolve the issue of executing agency for the existing PC-I of the Lahore Fort and will submit his report within 15 days.
It was decided that the secretary finance would convene a meeting to examine or approve the human resource requirements for the WCLA with regard to Lahore Fort and Hazoori Bagh and would submit a detailed report within two weeks.
The meeting directed the chairman P&D and secretary LG&CD to cooperate with the WCLA to attract the donor agencies for the conservation of historic monuments and Masjid Wazir Khan as well. The Director General WCLA was directed to constitute an advisory board of experts and professionals in the field of conservation work.
Earlier, Director General WCLA gave a briefing to the meeting about the derelict and deteriorated condition of the historic monuments and duplicity of the control of Lahore Fort between the Archaeology Department and WCLA. He also highlighted various issues including misuse of Hujras of Masjid Wazir Khan, release of heritage funds, removal of encroached Rim Market, upgrade of the infrastructure of Lahore Fort, need to make the historic complex and Lahore Fort livelier, interactive and a vibrant place for tourists.