Notification of control of two tombs to WCLA suspended

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday suspended Punjab government notification regarding transfer of administrative control of historical tombs of Mughal emperor Jahangir and his wife empress Nur Jahan to Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA).

The court issued this order on the petition of Irfan Ali, an employee of Punjab Archeology Department. The petitioner’s lawyer contended that the Punjab government after seeking approval from chief minister transferred the control of both tombs to WCLA and issued a notification to this effect on November 23. He pointed out that Punjab government ignored the fact that Provincial law secretary, Nazir Ahmed Gajana, had opposed the move and gave a negative opinion.

He contended that both tombs did not fall under the territorial jurisdiction of WCLA. Moreover, both departments, WCLA and Archeology Department, cannot interfere into each other work as both are functioning under different laws. Archeology Department is being run under Antiquities Act 1975 whereas WCLA is working under WCLA Act 2012, he opined.

He requests the court to set aside the notification under which both tombs were put under the control of WCLA. After hearing preliminary arguments, Justice Shamas Mehmood Mirza suspended the impugned notification and sought replies from Punjab government and director general WCLA, Kamran Lashari, by next date of hearing. On November 23, the Punjab government had issued a notification which took administrative control of both monuments from archaeology department and transferred the same to WCLA for conservation, and better tourism mechanism.