The restoration of historical sites is extremely important for the preservation of old customs, traditions, especially historical art and architecture. For its part, Sindh Government, which is headed by Pakistan People’s Party, has been working towards historical sites’ restoration, but their recent work has angered the public.
Typically, when preserving these old archeological sites, the aim is to bring them back to their original state. But people think instead of doing that, the government of Sindh ‘whitewashed‘ the old heritage sites.
First, let’s take a look at some before & after pictures of the sites that were restored:
People are utterly disappointed and have taken to Twitter to express their concerns to Sardar Shah, the Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities in Sindh.
Let’s see what everyone has to say:
God! Height of incompetence! Whitewashing the historical characteristics of these heritage sites is criminal vandalism not restoration! @UNESCO Pls intervene to stop this idiocy before there is nothing left of our past to pass onto our children 🙏🏽 https://t.co/gcIHHczYwN
— Barrister Hasnain Mirza, MPA (@barhasnainmirza) August 11, 2020
Inserting zabardasti ke hashtags does not make you cool or teach you the meaning of #Restoration, #Preservation and #Culture.
When will you use your brain instead of your knees? https://t.co/o4jyAW7RHu— Naufal Rants 🇵🇰 (@NaufalEsbhani) August 12, 2020
MAKE ME UNSEE IT PLEASE! https://t.co/Gk973IW2D8
— afia salam (@afiasalam) August 12, 2020
https://twitter.com/faraz_khalid14/status/1293394551575654400?s=21
What the hell is this department doing they're demolishing ancient cultural sites!! Same for umerkot fort see other tweets SOMEBODY STOP THEM https://t.co/5XTWEXqAJs
— Khansaab (@GumbyAKhan) August 12, 2020
No offense but Sindh SUCKS at restoration work big time.
Just look at this:
They had a so many surviving walls to copy from (left) yet they chose to make the walls look like THAT(right)
BRO, ITS AN ARROWSLIT NOT A PARNALLA😭😭😭 https://t.co/z7QyIkr0CE pic.twitter.com/Qlga3OxNR8— Saad Asad (@Saad_163_) August 12, 2020
Is it a preservation or ruining? Just by applying 'choona' doesn't mean you've preserved. khudara! Before ordering for such an step you must've read at least a column or a research journal that how to save or preserve heritge sites. Sain nazr krm kyo @sardarshah1 @HullioSikandar https://t.co/yMcFb8JI3L
— GM Abro (@GMAbro24) August 12, 2020
A country like Pakistan is having so little experience(ZERO!?) in preserving the age-old monuments of their scoring out orthodox clerical monuments and culture, that they forget to learn the difference between 'preserving' and 'modifying' them!
BAD JOB! https://t.co/mc2wUBj4bp
— Joshiji Tweets (@TweetsJoshiji) August 11, 2020
If the egyptian pyarmids were controlled by this department: https://t.co/cjb1fYBtJa pic.twitter.com/9I5E9xvLyF
— Jibby (@JibbyD) August 11, 2020
What the hell have you done? Oh dear God. 😱
These people have destroyed precious national heritage. I can't even… What the hell @BBhuttoZardari. Sack these morons and throw them in gallows. 😡 https://t.co/ntsSsHNF11
— Sikander F. Bhadera (@SikanderFayyaz) August 12, 2020
Please stop doing whatever you think are doing 😭 https://t.co/pLjEX5aOqU
— rohma (@bowchickkawowow) August 12, 2020
https://twitter.com/pakistansquad/status/1293348482108071938?s=21
Eento per choona lagana is restoration? Gora complex has made its way to heritage sights too…. we’re doomed https://t.co/dimhLyaj6I
— Hরسا (@DrowningPices) August 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/NuthingIsAvail/status/1293409825993428992
https://twitter.com/introvertial/status/1293436260590260234?s=20
While we were going through public reactions, we came across this tweet from a user that says the white color on these walls could be the lime mortar. Since parts of these sites are as old as the hills, water from newer bricks could break the old ones.
This is why lime mortar is used to absorb any excess water and prevent the older bricks from falling apart.
This is not mere paint -I’m assuming it’s preserved and then locked with lime mortar which is white. Evidence of white layer has been seen on Mughul architecture. Before/After images are decieving since we don’t see process. #heritage
— Marvi Mazhar (@marvimazhar) August 12, 2020
Nonetheless, people are seemingly unhappy with the historical sites’ restoration and they need answers.
What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments section.
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