Survey of historic places completed – Journal

BAHAWALPUR: The Department of Archeology has completed a survey of historic places including the forts of Cholistan along the border with India under the jurisdictions of three districts of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan.

The investigation was conducted to prepare a comprehensive plan for the restoration of crumbling forts and the conservation of decaying historic buildings in the Cholistan Desert, Dawn learned.

The investigation was undertaken at the initiative / direction of Pakistani army officials.

According to sources, army officers, who had already taken steps to preserve Noor Mahal and Gulzar Mahal in Bahawalpur and other historic places in the region, were now moving to restore the collapsed structures of the forts, the remains of which were were still visible on the sites.

Archeology Department Sub-Divisional Officer Sajjad Ahmed told Dawn that a team, led by Deputy Director Muhammad Hassan, had undertaken a visit to the Cholistan Desert to investigate the crumbling buildings of the ancients. strong. He said the team visited 13 forts namely Jam Garh, Mauj Garh, Din Garh, Mir Garh, Phulra / Fort Abbas, Khan Garh, Rukanpur, Bijnot, Nawan Kot, Marrot, Bara Sardar Garh and Derawar Fort.

Former division commissioner Saqib Zafar, while on assignment here, had asked Bahawalpur museum officials to prepare a list of historic places and heritage sites worth preserving to promote tourism in the region in winter. But after his transfer, the process of registering these monuments was blocked and more information could not be collected. However, Dawn learned that there were around 46 monuments and historic places in Cholistan that needed to be preserved and that all but 13 had been razed.

Now under the patronage of the army, archeology can go further and submit a plan to the government of the Punjab for the allocation of funds for the restoration of these 13 sites.

STOPPED: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) claims to have arrested a sub-divisional officer of the irrigation department for corruption.

According to the ACE statement, he had recorded a first information report (FIR) against SDO Muhammad Arshad on August 17, 2020. The suspect was currently stationed in the Kotla Musa Khan area of ​​tehsil Ahmedpur East.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) claims to have sealed 13 food outlets in Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar districts due to poor sanitary conditions.

Posted in Dawn, le 17 October 2020