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Halt! Who goes there?

* ‘Security concerns’ ruining much of Lahore’s historical beauty
* Many sites now ‘off limits’ to visitors
* Archeology Department official says law does not allow for changes to historical sites

By Ali Usman

LAHORE: The city has undergone significant visible changes of late, as ‘security concerns’ make way for many ill-advised alterations to the city’s historical and cultural beauty. Intellectuals and historians believe that Lahore’s beauty lies in its originality, which, if changed in any way with respect to its sites that are - whether historic monuments or public places - would result in the city losing its edge.

Many alterations are currently being made to buildings and public places that are considered landmarks of Lahore over security concerns. Experts claim such alterations are in bad taste, and above all illegal.

They said the city’s cultural and historical look should be maintained.

The outlook of many important historical buildings and public places in Lahore has already been altered. The National College of Arts (NCA), which holds a prominent position among the cultural and artistic circles, stands as testament to such change. Barbed wires and steel sheets cover the boundary walls of the institution, barring passers-by from peering inside.

“Earlier one could see into the campus, but now barbed wires and steel sheets do not allow any view. The view is gone. The serenity is no longer there. It seems as if the college is frightened of something,” an NCA student said.

One look at the Punjab University College of Art and Design building also tells a similar story. Barbed wires now adorns the walls of this building as well. The college main gate remains closed, while the exterior gate has been fortified with sandbag barriers.

The main entrance to Ranjit Singh’s Smadhi, near the Lahore Fort, has also been altered for security reasons. Security concerns have also been cited as the reasons behind putting barricades in front of Data Darbar.

These visible security measures have taken their toll on the literary and cultural life of the city. Noted writer and professor Amjad Tufail said that literary activities in the city had decreased. “Security measures are necessary these days but they shouldn’t be made in such a way that they create an atmosphere of fear. The historic buildings and cultural sights in the city present a look of fear and it seems as if the terrorists have succeeded in their objectives,” he said.

Dr Farzand Masih, noted archeologist and currently head of the Punjab University Archaeology Department, said that under the Antiquities Act 1975, all public buildings that are 75-years-old are considered ‘antiques’, adding that all such buildings could not be altered or reconstructed without proper permission.

No change: A senior Archeology Department official said the law did not allow for such changes to be made to any historical building.

Culture Minister Tanveerul Islam said that security had been beefed up at many cultural buildings, adding that the measures were necessary. “We cannot take risks. We have to protect these sites,” he said.

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