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INTRODUCTION:
Traditionally the kings and state machinery used to
cater for the maintenance of the public works, grand
mosques and mausolea, and also monuments created by
earlier patrons. In Sindh the Summas are known to have
played active role in this regard. Arghuns, Turkhans and
Talpurs not only looked after such buildings in Sindh,
but provided regular financial assistance for the
structures in Jerusalem, Iraq, Hijaz and Persia. Even
after loosing the country to Britishers, the Amirs of
Sindh still continued to remit funds, through British
Resident in Iraq, for such works. |
, Minister Antiquities |
It was
result of the popular continuation of the tradition that Britishers felt compelled to undertake the restoration
works on Shahjahani Mosque, Thatta and Mirza Essa
Turkhan’s Tomb at Makli, in follow up of such earlier
bid by Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur.The Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI) after its creation undertook
restoration of selected historic monuments and developed
a strategy of conservation.
The
indulgence of Government of Sindh with the matters of
Culture started quite early in Sindh, compared with
other provinces. The Sindhi Adabi Board did great
service for Sindh’s Literature and History, the
Museum at Hyderabad bravely sustained change of fate;
however in seventies a cell was established in the
Education Department to look after the cultural issues.
Same cell grew into Directorate of Culture and
subsequently became Department of Culture.
But the
built heritage remained under the care of the Department
of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Pakistan. The
lack of resources and under developed human resources
created a situation, where the concerns of people
mounted due to fast deterioration of valuable
heritage. Thus the Department of Antiquities was created
to look after the archaeological, historical and
physical heritage of province. The department has three
wings these are Heritage, Conservation and Archaeology.
The head office is situated in Karachi, with sub offices
in Thatta, Shikarpur, Jamshoro, Hyderabad and Sukkur
will start functioning in 2009
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