Well-known archaeologist, author of many books on Islamic architecture Khurshid Hasan Shaikh passes away

Veteran Archaeologist, author of many books on Islamic architecture, Khurshid Hasan Shaikh, and father of Tanveer Shaikh, Art Director of The News, passed away peacefully yesterday morning. He was 94. He has left behind a wife, three sons, and two daughters. His Namaz e Janaza will be held today (Monday), after Zohar prayer, at Masjid-i-Umar Farooq, Gulahan-i-Iqbal, Block 11, Rashid Minhas Road. Soyem will be observed on Tuesday.

The News family stands in solidarity with Tanveer Shaikh Sahib and his family, especially his mother, in this time of grief. May Allah grant Jannatul Firdaus to Khushid Hasan Shaikh and give courage to his loved ones to bear this irreparable loss.

Born on April 4, 1929, Khurshid Hasan Shaikh held a postgraduate degree in General History and diploma in Archaeology from Rome University, Italy. Apart from in-service training, he received specialized training in the fields of Archaeology and Museology from foreign institutes. He served the Federal Department of Archaeology, Pakistan from 1952 to 1988,retiring as Director General.

During his 36 years of service in the department, he got national and international recognition through his research and work in the rehabilitation and preservation of ancient archaeological sites of the region. His contributions have been varied and multifaceted, ranging from archaeological research, conservation, and preservation of cultural heritage to the development of museums and organization of special exhibitions of cultural relics both at home and abroad. His special interest was to explore various facets of Muslim architecture and write about them and where possible help in its presentation and rehabilitation, because during his employment he felt that major attention was given to the exploration and excavation of pre-historic, proto-historic, Buddhist monuments and sites while study and conservation of Muslim architectural heritage was being ignored. He served in various commissions and committees set up by the Government of Pakistan and specialized organizations. Khurshid Hasan also served as a UNESCO Expert in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (1985). He was Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, London, as well as of the Pakistan Historical Society, Karachi. He also earned the singular honour of being the secretary of the Quaid-i-Azam Relax Commission, established by the Government of Pakistan in 1969. He was also the archeological adviser of the Quaid-i-Azam Mazar Management Board (QMMB).

In recognition of his services in the field of Archaeology, the Government of Italy conferred upon him the title of ‘Knight of the Order of the Merit of the Italian Republic’ in 1993. He was also awarded a gold medal by the Nazaria-i-Pakistan Council (NPC), the last one he received personally in Islamabad, on March 27, 2017, by another veteran nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadir Khan (late) along with the then Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.

He published several research articles in national as well as foreign journals of repute and was the author of several books including: “Muslim Architecture in Pakistan”, “The Islamic Architectural Heritage of Pakistan: Funerary Memorial Architecture”, “Pakistan: Its Ancient Hindu Temples and Shrines”, “Historical Forts of Pakistan”, “Chaukhandi Tombs in Pakistan”, “Religious Architecture of Gandhara-Pakistan: Buddhist Stupas and Monasteries”. He also co-authored Moenjodaro: A 5000-Year-Old Legacy, published by UNESCO in 1981 as part of its international campaign to preserve Moenjo-Daro. A God-gifted person who showed to the world the beauty of our great culture and civilisation through his writings, Sheikh will be remembered for his remarkable work in the rehabilitation and preservation of ancient archaeological sites of the region.