CHARSADDA: The historical graveyard of Charsadda, already in dilapidated condition owing to highhandedness of land grabbers, has turned into a dump of garbage and filth.
“The shrines and graves of saints and martyrs of freedom movement in the graveyard are about to ruin owing to negligence of the authorities concerned,” residents of the area said.Talking to Dawn , the leaders of different political parties, social figures, intellectuals and religious scholars expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the historical graveyard.
They criticised the government for its apathy and demanded of archaeology department and tehsil municipal administration (TMA) to save the graveyard from further deterioration.
Some of the residents of the area claimed that it was the biggest graveyard in Asia. They said that grave of classic Pashto poet Ali Khan Baba was also present in the graveyard. “Poets from the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa organise poetry sessions here every year,” they said.
The residents said that in the past it was called Parang Charsadda graveyard. “Apart from renowned saints and religious scholars, the graves of martyrs of freedom movement are present here,” they added.
A Mughal-era fortress-like structure was also found in the graveyard but its signs are vanishing with passing of time. The Babara Monument and graves of about 600 workers of Khudai Khidmatgar Movement, who were killed in 1948, were also part of the graveyard. Awami National Party observes August 12 as black day in memory of the killing of these workers every year.
A vast area of the graveyard has been occupied by land grabbers, who have built houses, offices and shops on it but TMA is yet to take any action against them.
The residents said that owing to apathy of TMA the historical graveyard was turning into garbage dump as waste of the whole city was being disposed of there. “It is also desecration of the graves,” they added.
They alleged that the graveyard had also become a safe haven for drug addicts. “The addicts have occupied main points here,” the residents said.
The people, who visit the graveyard to offer fateha on the graves of their near and dear ones, face humiliation when they see misuse of the area. Some of them can be seen exchanging hot words with the drug addicts.
“Children also come here to play cricket and football and cause damage to the graves,” locals said.
Hakeemulah, president of Mutahidda Shopkeepers Federation Charsadda, told Dawn that they held meetings with district coordination officer and TMA officials to request them to save the historical graveyard from destruction.
However, TMO Anees Ahmed, when contacted, said that they had taken stern action against the land grabbers and several cases against them were still pending in the court. He said the TMA hired watchmen and built boundary wall to protect the graveyard.
ANP district general secretary Qasim Khan Muhammadzai told Dawn that they built a Janazagah at the graveyard to facilitate the visitors and mourners.
He said that both TMA employees and local people were dumping garbage at the graveyard. “It is a matter of shame for them. The graveyards are our last abodes and we should take care of them,” he added.
Abdul Salam Arif, a social worker, demanded of TMA to take concrete steps for protection of the historical graveyard.
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