MULTAN: Pakistan’s most beautiful and iconic monument, standing tall in the vast sandy landscape of the Cholistan desert, is decaying for a long time now, however, the provincial government is making an all-out effort to conserve it part by part and two schemes worth of Rs 161 million to conserve its facade besides the residence of late Nawab of Bahawalpur and his office are underway.
The medieval forts of the Cholistan desert landscape are a group of around a dozen structures, some standing and some deteriorated. But Darawar Fort is the best surviving example of this series of historic forts, some dating from pre-Mughal times, but all restored and expanded from the 16th to 18th century by powerful local clans, according to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention website. Other forts, from north to south include Meergarh, Jaangarh, Marotgarh, Maujgarh, Dingarh, Khangarh, Khairgarh, Bijnotgarh, and Islamgarh.
These forts form a network across the desert landscape and serve to protect and enable the desert caravan routes, and mercantile routes from central Asia to the heartland of the subcontinent.
In charge Archaeology Department Bahawalpur Muhammad Sajjad, who also holds the additional charge of archaeology Multan told reporter that conserving the whole Darawar Fort, a stunning architectural masterpiece from the past, was a gigantic task involving huge funding. However, he added, the Punjab government had launched a Rs 41 million project in 2017-18 to conserve and restore its front face encompassing its main gate, the wall and buttresses on both sides of the gate. So far around Rs 10 million has been spent, he said, adding that work on the project had faced suspension due to problems like Covid-19 and other issues, however, fresh funding has been received and work has resumed. He said that the scheme is likely to be completed in the next fiscal year 2023-24.
He said that the Punjab government had also initiated another Rs 120 million project to renovate and restore the residence of Nawab of Bahawalpur, Sir Sadiq Khan Abbasi and his office inside Darawar Fort. He said initial funds have been released, adding, that the three-year scheme would be completed in 2024-25.