Ancient remains ruining in capital due government's negligence
Shares
ISLAMABAD: (APP) The thousands years-old ancient heritage sites in federal capital are ruining and fading away due to the uncontrolled commercial activities and lack of interest by the concerned authorities.
Talking to APP, Chairman Archeological and Historical Association of Pakistan (AHAP), Dr. Ghazanfar Mehdi said 3,000 years old Shah Allah Ditta caves are ruining and shambling due to the negligence on the part of concerned authorities.
He said the government asked Capital Development Authority (CDA) to make feasibility report to protect these caves from damaging from the last many years but no attention was paid to this issue.
He said a centuries old ancient mosque at the foothills of Margalla is also in dilapidated condition and also require renovation and preservation.
The historical mosque located in Giri village near Taxila and built by Emperor Shahabuddin Ghauri in 13 AD, he said.
Dr. Ghazanfar Mehdi said the road at the crossing point of Alexander via Margalla and the battlefield where Raja Ambhi of Taxila hosted a reception in his honour was protected and constructed with the efforts of AHAP.
He also underlined the need to provide security to the Shah Allah Ditta Shrine located at 650 years old Shah Allah Ditta village in Sector D-12 to facilitate the visitors.
Dr. Ghazanfar Mehdi said the commercial activities and construction also damaged Panj Pir shrine' located near Zeropoint.
While the shrine of Syed Mehmood Shah, the father of Hazrat Bari Imam is also locked by the authorities irking the visitors. "That place is now being used as taxi stands which is a matter of shame for us", he said.
Dr. Ghazanfar Mehdi said Bari Imam Mela is not being organized from the last four years the ancient remains of `Loey Dandi' are also fading away.
Dr. Ghazanfar Mehdi urged the government to take strong initiatives to protect and preserve the ancient remains and heritage sites and further make these attractive for the visitors.
He said these heritage sites after protection can be a great source of income, if visitors are charged through tickets for visiting these sites.