n June 8, the tussle between the Punjab Archaeology Department (PAD) and the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) over the control of heritage sites took an interesting turn as the WCLA director, Kamran Lashari, was given the additional charge as PAD director general by the Punjab caretaker government. This put the PAD in an awkward spot.

The PAD had long resisted the Authority’s growing control. Last month, when the caretaker government officially handed over control of Shalamar Gardens, Qutubuddin Aibak’s tomb, and Noor Jahan’s tomb to the WCLA, the PAD officials argued that the WCLA’s mandate was only to maintain and conserve the heritage sites in the Walled City.

Following the June 8 announcement, some employees of the PAD had declared that the move had no legal backing. They had also vowed to fight the matter in the court.

Rana Irfan Ali, a spokesperson for the APCA, the body which challenged the transfer on behalf of the provincial Archaeology Department, said that even an elected chief executive of the province did not have the authority to transfer the control over the sites that were recognised as part of national or international heritage.

He also said, “Not only did they (the WCLA officials) illegally take control of the Lahore Fort in 2014, they have also played havoc with the archaeological site of international importance. The commercial use of such historical sites just to mint money and use of heavy machinery to convert some portions into commercial places caused these sites great damage.”

Talking exclusively to TNS, Lashari said that the control of these sites had been transferred by the government: “It’s not my decision. I have nothing to do with it. However, once a decision has been taken by the government it will be implemented in letter and spirit.”

Shortly after the June 8 announcement, the employees of PAD declared that the move had no legal backing. They also vowed to fight the matter in the court. 

“Things did not stop here,” he added. “The government has given me the additional charge as Archaeology Department director general which is a clear validation of our good work. That’s why we’ve also been entrusted with the task of looking after the archaeological sites that fall in the category of the world heritage monuments. There is no altercation or tussle with anyone.”

Lashari admitted that in the past heritage sites “were indeed a federal subject, but after the 18^th Amendment the control of archaeological sites, whether the sites were of national or international importance, was shifted to the provinces.”

He rejected the argument that archaeological sites which had remained under the control of the federal government could not be transferred to the WLCA. “If it were so, why would the control of the Lahore Fort, which is also one of the world heritage sites, be transferred to the WCLA.”

He insisted that the WLCA had been doing its job with dedication and utmost care. “The exemplary maintenance and uplift work to keep the Lahore Fort in best shape is the basis of the trust the government has reposed in us. People, as well as the government, know that we are the best in the field. Even the Archaeology Department has signed the summary for transfer of the control of Lahore Fort.”

Lashari further said, “We are working in collaboration with the world-renowned Aga Khan Trust. In fact, it’s the Archaeology Department that has neither the required expertise nor manpower to keep the historical sites in the best shape.”

Dr Muhammad Hameed, head of the Department of Archaeology at the University of the Punjab, said that while there was no doubt that the Archaeology Department had looked after the heritage sites for years, it was understaffed and underfunded. “On the other hand, the WCLA has the resources as well as the personnel. Besides, their conservation work has garnered much attention.”

The writer is a senior journalist. He can be reached at ahsanzia155@gmail.com