LAHORE, July 14: The Punjab Archaeology Department is violating preservation guidelines in the rehabilitation work of the ancient Wazir Khan Mosque, Dawn has learnt.

Though the preservation and rehabilitation work of the mosque was to be carried out in the second phase of Walled City project, the Archeology Department started work with funds provided by the Auqaf Department due to the deteriorating condition of the mosque.

Archaeologists said the department neither consulted project experts nor arranged skilled laboures to carry out the work along the line of specification relating preservation and rehabilitation tools and methods.

They said that in preserving historic buildings, it was essential to reuse existing buildings material and undertake only repair
work. A visit to the site, however, reveals that reconstruction of the mosque is going on instead of rehabilitation, sources say.

Workers are using modern concrete in the main compound of the mosque.

“Labourers are using concrete that is inappropriate for such heritage preservation. Such activity requires recycling of the existing material,” an expert said.

“The department should have ensured preparation of the material by using the dig-out soil (concur-line) and other ingredients from the compound as per preservation methods.” He said pure concrete material carried salts that could damage such old constructions. The expert said the department had started work on the instructions of the Auqaf Department after it found that the drainage system had affected various parts of the mosque.

An official seeking anonymity said the concrete material might cause depression in the mosque floor in the future.

Walled City Project Director (culture and heritage) Talib Husain said the project management in a meeting with the Archeology Department had raised the issue of violations of preservation methods.

“The (Auqaf) department didn’t follow instructions and allowed the contractor to use concrete material instead of old concur-line material,” he added. Project Director (Infrastructure) Shahid Durrani also confirmed the meeting that was held by the project management with the department about the issue.

Talking to Dawn, Archeology Department Director General Haroon Khan rejected the report of usage of improper material in the mosque. He said as the mosque’s various parts, including its courtyard, were in a bad shape the department had decided to undertake the work by following preservation methods.

“We mixed concrete with the old material, concur-line as it increases its durability,” he said.

He said the department had arranged skilled masons and labourers to carry out the work under the guidance of experts.

“The experts are satisfied with our work as they didn’t raise any objection since we initiated the work sometime ago,” Mr Khan said.