lmost every photojournalist at Lahore Press Club has a story to tell about their love-hate relationship with the security guards who man the entry points of public parks, heritage sites and shrines in the city. Why, because they are armed with a DSLR camera.

A photojournalist working with an Urdu daily relates how every time he tried to enter Baghe Jinnah, with his camera in hand, the guards, even if they were half-asleep, would be jolted out of their slumber to stop them. Despite his repeated pleas that he was there only to capture the beauty of the park, the guards wouldn’t let him in.

Faizan Naqvi, a historian known to many as Lahore Ka Khoji, says he doesn’t leave his house without his high-end camera. He cites numerous occasions when he was stopped (by the guards) from entering a much-loved tourist place.

In his book, Hamara Dharampura, Naqvi writes about the Auqaf Department enforcing a strict no-camera policy at the shrine of Mian Mir. Such regulation is disappointing to many pilgrims who travel from far-off places and are unable to photograph their visit to the darbar.

They also complain of the rude behaviour of the staff on duty. Noted travel writer Salman Rashid has also encountered such guards. In his 2017 blog, titled Plaat hi Plaat, he writes, “Many years ago, driving along Waris Road, I noticed they were tearing down the nearly 100-year-old Birdwood Barracks. BTW, does anyone remember who Col Birdwood was? Anyway, I stopped to ask the uniformed subedar what was happening and he said, ‘Aador (order) hai!’ I hurried home to grab my camera and take pictures of the building that would soon vanish from human memory. Back at the demolition site, the subedar refused to let me. He told me it was ‘army area’ and taap seecrot. I said what was secret about a few buildings that would soon bite the dust, but the moron refused to see sense in my words.”

Naqvi questions the policy of banning DSLR cameras at historic places, asking rhetorically if there are nuclear installations or state secrets buried beneath the heritage sites or shrines that would be compromised if you allowed cameras inside. He believes that this policy is unnecessary, especially given that thousands of pictures of the shrine are already available on the internet. “If security is a concern, thorough checks should be implemented to allow for controlled photography,” he adds. “Letting the visitors take photos will greatly enhance their experience and promote tourism.”

He says that when historians or serious travel writers visit a place, they need to capture their journey on a professional camera, rather than on mobile phones. For them, taking photographs is part of documenting history.

DROP CAP

For many years, the tussle between the Archaeology Department and other government departments led to the control of almost all monuments and heritage sites being given to the Punjab Walled Cities and Heritage Areas Authority (formerly, Walled City Lahore Authority, or WCLA). According to Naqvi, the authority treats these places as commercial. He cites the example of the Lahore Fort which has four layers of ticket pricing; you are charged an extra few bucks if you mean to photograph the place.

Naqvi, who created a WhatsApp group, History Lovers’ Club, believes that the PWCHAA should charge for commercial or bridal shoots but spare amateurs and news photographers.

Muhammad Shoaib, a member of Naqvi’s WhatsApp group, who is a qualified engineer and a passionate historian, says, “It’s strange that guards at parks, shrines and other heritage sites should allow people to take pictures with their mobile phones but not their DSLR cameras.

“Sure, the mobile phones now come with really good cameras, but they still don’t compare to a professional camera.”

Shoaib is of the view that the guards misbehave with professional photographers on purpose, because they know that the photographer will pick newsworthy things that often escape the eyes of the common picnickers.

There’s an interesting twist to the story. Aoun Ali, a journalist and photographer, says, after several complaints regarding the absurd ban on DSLR cameras, the PWCHAA has now placed banners at all heritage sites under its control, which clearly state that cameras are allowed.

Masood Ahmed Khan, the president of the Photographers Society of Pakistan, says that recently the authority lifted the ban on photography and urged photographers to contact them. The ban on commercial shoots remains. One needs to obtain official permission before carrying out any commercial work.

Khan says that most professional photographers do not face any problems because they always seek prior permission from the authorities. It is those who show up without a permission letter that face trouble. Often, the guards at the sites see this as an opportunity to fleece them.

Tania Qureshi, the communications manager at the WCLA/ PWCHAA, confirms that the authority allows DSLR cameras inside the heritage sites. But she refuses to give details on what prompted the authority to make this move.

A spokesperson for the Parks and Horticultural Authority says that an “informal ban on photography” followed in the wake of the infamous incident at Minar-i-Pakistan where a woman TikToker was manhandled and assaulted. However, the ban has been lifted.

“Why should the security guards stop photographers from capturing the beauty of the parks?” he asks.

The spokesperson says the uncivil behaviour of some photographers could be a problem for the general public. Some of the visitors might not like to be clicked by strangers without their knowledge or permission. “The problem isn’t with the camera but its irresponsible use,” he adds.

The writer is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship