British-era heritage structure: Archeology Dept wants Abbottabad Cantonment Board building preserved

ABBOTTABAD: The Archeology and Museum Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has asked the Abbottabad deputy commissioner to take action to preserve the century-old historical building of Cantonment Board Office which was constructed in 1933 by the British.

The Regional Office of the Archeology Department wrote a letter to the deputy commissioner on January 16, about the British- era monuments and heritage building in the Abbottabad city. The letter said that the buildings were built in Abbottabad in 1933. It added that the Cantonment Board Office dated back to the British period. It came under the preview of KP Antiquities Act 2016.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Amir Afaq confirmed receiving the letter and said the cantonment authorities claimed that it was regulated by the federal government. He said that the issue has to be solved between federal and provincial governments.

He confirmed having met the cantonment executive officer and was hopeful to solve the issue amicably as the provincial government has taken up the matter with the federal government. A social activist, Mehmood Aslam, while giving details to the media said that the Cantonment Board had proposed commercial building to be constructed there and building of the cantonment board along with station house building will be razed which will be a great loss to the city.

He said a number of tourists visited historical sites in Abbottabad, which was founded by Major James Abbott in 1853. He added that the historical buildings were an asset to the city and these should be preserved.