SUKKUR: Unauthorised officials of the archaeology department and the Shah Abdul Latif University (Salu) in Khairpur have reportedly issued NOCs (no objection certificates) to an industrialist allowing him to establish industrial units on the land declared an archaeological site in 2007.

A 14-acre piece of land within the Sukkur industrial area was identified as ‘Lakhin-jo-Daro’ after the discovery of objects said to be belonging to a civilisation like the 5,000-year-old ruins of Moenjodaro during some digging work in 1994. Excavation carried out by the relevant department and the Salu archaeology department in the following years resulted in more discoveries, but the exploration work could not continue seriously and on a regular basis due to various reasons including a lack of required funds. However, the 14-acre area was declared an archaeological site through a gazette notification.

It was recently brought to the notice of the Sukkur district administration that construction work was being carried out on a big portion of the site by some influential people.

Taking notice of the report, the secretary concerned and the Sukkur commissioner assigned an inquiry into the matter to Assistant Commissioner Dr Waheed Asghar Bhatti, who submitted his report on Thursday.

The report verified the claim of illegal construction at the site but also recalled that the industrialist concerned, after being stopped from going ahead with the work earlier, had moved court and got an order in his favour on the basis of the NOCs he had obtained from the officials.

The report suggested that the provincial archaeology department, in fact, did not plead its case properly. However, the report citing the June 5, 2007 Supreme Court ruling about preservation, protection and maintenance of all archaeological sites in the country and said all such NOCs stood invalid in the light of the ruling.

The inquiry report stated that a provincial archaeology department official and a Salu officer had issued the NOCs to the industrialist without any authority.

It said that there was a clear demarcation of Lakhin-jo-Daro within the industrial area. It recommended protection of the site and installation of signboards for the guidance of the general public.

Meanwhile, Nooruddin Shaikh and Farrukh Adil Shaikh told the media on Thursday that they were carrying out the construction of an oil mill on two-and-a-half acres of land vide plot Nos. B-33 and B-34 in the industrial area of Sukkur after obtaining an NOC from the relevant authority and completing all legal formalities.

They said that New Taluka Assistant Commissioner Rana Adeel Tasawwar had summoned them to his office on Monday with the directive to produce the relevant documents.

They insisted that the plots in question were not not part of Lakhin-jo-Daro.They said that the official had asked them to stop the construction work immediately. They said they would abide by the order and appear before him on Monday.

Sources in the archaeology department said that the secretary of the culture/archaeology department was the competent authority to issue an NOC for any construction, alteration or other work sought to be carried out at an archaeological site.

They said the secretary and the Sukkur administration was considering an explanation to be sought from the archaeology department and Salu officials for issuing the NOC.

The history of exploration work at the Lakhin-jo-Dero shows that excavation had been carried out in 1994, 1996, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 but only in winters as extremely hot wea­ther conditions prevail in the region during summers. It further shows that paucity of funds kept the work suspended in moderate wea­ther conditions during the period.

However, sources said that a big chunk of each allocation made for the purpose time to time had reportedly gone down the drain due to corruption.

They said that no exploration or excavation at the site had been carried out since March 2012.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2014