PESHAWAR: Archeology Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has approached KP Police for registration of FIR over the sudden demolition of an historical house located near Ander Sher Asamai Temple architecture.
It merits a mention here that the house, a fine architectural building located close to Dhaki Munwar Shah near Raj Kapoor’s house constructed in the period from 1830 to 1860, was razed to the ground by its owner for purpose of constructing commercial plaza.
The issue was raised on social media on October 11, 2018, by a civil society activist, Dr. Ali Jan who is also a heritage lover and lobbies for the preservation of rich past architectural glory of Peshawar city.
Dr. Ali Jan also expressed the resolve of writing an open letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Saqib Nisar for taking notice of demolition of this historic building and others in Peshawar city for the purpose of constructing commercial plazas.
According to an office order issued by Deputy Administrator Evacuee Trust Property Peshawar, Asif Khan issued on July 2018, Chairman ETP Lahore has granted approval for demolition of historic house to construct a commercial building.
In an application submitted to Station House Office (SHO), Khan Raziq Police Station, Archeology Department submitted that the said house was an intact monument and intricate wooden architecture.
It was the glory of Peshawar city and Archeology department intended to protect it under the Antiquity Act 2016.
It is clearly mentioned in the Act under section 18 and 24 that `No person shall except for carrying out the purposes of this Act, destroy, break, damage, alter, injure, deface, mutilate or scribble, write or engage any inscription or sign on any antiquity or take manure from any protected antiquity or important antiquity.
According to Act, whoever contravenes the provision of sub-section (1), shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with fine up to Rs two millions or with
both.
The court trying an offense under this section may direct that the whole or any part of the fine recovered shall be applied in defraying the expenses of restoring the antiquity to the condition in which it was before the commission of the offense.
The section 24 of Act reads as, the Director shall into the reason of destruction or damage, as the case may be, and if it proved after inquiry that the antiquity has been willfully damaged and destructed either by the owner or by any other person, the Director shall initiate action against such an owner or a person by lodging FIR in the concerned Police Station.
In this connection, the SHO has been requested by Archeology Department to lodge an FIR against the owner of the house and also extend cooperation in stopping demolition work at urgent basis.