Pakka Qilla, also known as Pucco Qillo, is situated in Hyderabad, the second largest city of Sindh. The fort has a great historical value but it has faced various challenges and seen too many accidents for a long time. Most recently, its main gate collapsed.

Several families who migrated from India have settled around the fort. Videos of the incident show unskilled workers renovating the walls with hammers and without proper equipment or preparation.

After investigations, Muhammad Waseem Sheikh, Sindh cultural and tourism department’s security officer, lodged an FIR against two contractors namely Saddam Bhutto and Waliullah Bhutto. They are said to be politically well connected. But if they are found guilty, it is expected that they will get a 3-year prison sentence. (They hadn’t been arrested at the time of filing this article.)

SHO Amir Memon, who works in the fort police station, believes that the contractors were not properly skilled and used hammers in renovation work, which caused the incident.

According to Dr Kaleemullah Hashmi, an archeologist and a historian, the fort was inhabited by some refugees who had migrated from India in 1947. He further says that it was a never a refugees’ settlement, but unfortunately the situation dragged on for a long period.

Pakka Qilla was built on a hillock known locally as Gunjy, by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, the ruler of the Kalhora Dynasty, circa 1768, when he founded the city of Hyderabad.

On May 26, 1990, the fort faced trouble as there was a bloodbath and more than 200 people were killed, allegedly due to fake information given to the police regarding terrorists’ hideout. This heightened tensions between the Sindhis and the Mohajirs, and till date is referred to as Black Friday.

In short, Pakka Qilla has had a violent past. Besides, it has faced neglect despite it being enlisted as a tourist spot by the archeological department. Many historiographers have written about this, but the carelessness of the Nawadrat Department led to encroachments by public construction such as shops, houses and other constructions. Political parties and social workers took various steps to overcome these problems but the success was limited.

The indifference of the authorities is shocking. They should have stopped the construction of around 350 apartments within the limits of the fort. On a visit to the monument, you notice that before crossing the entrance you have to cross a huge area where waste is routinely dumped and sewage is overflowing.

The fact that the squatters have been living here for almost 70 years now is equally concerning. There are encroachment issues. A marketplace has existed for many years now. The historical place is losing its beauty and value. The authorities must act soon.

The writer is a   Masters’ student based in Hyderabad