The Sindh government has initiated a comprehensive, province-wide survey, more than half a decade after the last comprehensive review, given the urgent need to assess the current condition of historical buildings and strengthen protective measures.
This initiative was finalized in a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Cultural Heritage held today, chaired by the Chief Secretary of Sindh, Asif Hyder Shah.
Mr. Shah stated during the meeting, “With the passage of time, it has become imperative to assess the current condition of the buildings, identify new heritage buildings, and ensure their preservation.”
The Chief Secretary mentioned that this task was last undertaken previously in 2017, which resulted in 3,371 structures across the province being officially declared as heritage.
To support this renewed preservation effort, the committee also decided to make the laws for the protection of heritage buildings more stringent and effective.
Additionally, it was also decided to strengthen the secretariat of the Heritage Department’s technical committee by recruiting qualified and capable officers from the market to provide necessary support.
The high-level meeting was attended by the Secretary of Culture, Works and Services, the DG of the Sindh Building Control Authority, and the Director General of the Antiquities Department.
Committee members Hameed Haroon, renowned archaeologist Dr. Kaleemullah Lashari, and architectural consultant Sohail Ahmed Kalhoro also participated in the proceedings.