KP govt asked to preserve historical sites in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The Cultural Heritage Council (CHC) has asked the provincial government to take steps for the preservation of historical sites, including gardens.

Through an open letter, Cultural Heritage Council secretary Shakil Wahidullah Khan said that only two gardens, out of 28, were left in the 2,500 years old city. He said one of the two gardens, Wazir Bagh, was faced with the threat of extinction due to encroachment from the land mafia.

The letter said that other historical sites were on the verge of extinction due to negligence. It said the Islamia building in Khyber Bazaar and the city wall were being demolished through a conspiracy or are being left to be razed to the ground through natural calamities.

It said the Kapoor Haveli and Dilip Kumar’s ancestral house could fall any time as no steps had been taken for their preservation.

The Peshawar High Court had ordered removing encroachment from Shahi Bagh and Wazir

Bagh, but the district government continued construction in Shahi Bagh in violation of the Peshawar High Court decision, it claimed.

The letter blamed the election of chief ministers from other districts as one of the reasons for it being ignored. It also lamented that the lawmakers elected from Peshawar district were unaware of its problems.

It urged the chief minister to announce a special fund for the protection of the historical sites in Peshawar and also visit these sites to know the ground situation.