LAHORE: Walled City Lahore Authority (WCLA) has planned to hold children’s literature festival inside Lahore Fort, a protected monument included in UNESCO’s world heritage list, where holding any kind of functions, festivals and public activities are banned, according to a report by a private media outlet.
Some 10 years back, Environmental Tribunal of Lahore had banned holding of any kind of functions, festivals and public activities inside Lahore Fort after which all such functions and activities were held at Hazori Bagh, which is between Lahore Fort and Badshahi Mosque.
The two-day festival will take place inside Lahore Fort just opposite Dewan-e-Aam on January 13 and 14 from 9am till 4pm and WCLA is expecting attendance of thousands of students, their friends and families in it, besides routine visitors of the fort, which are over 15,000 daily.
Asif Zaheer, Director Marketing WCLA, confirmed that Environmental Tribunal of Lahore banned holding of public functions, festivals and ceremonies inside Lahore Fort. He, however, said children’s literature festival was not an ordinary festival and no addition/deletion will be done at the Lahore Fort for this festivity. He said thousands of students will visit the fort and display their special skills such as painting, debating, drawing, etc. so this is why WCLA planned this festival inside the fort.
Malik Maqsood, Deputy Director Archeology Department, Punjab said holding festivals and big public gatherings are not allowed inside Lahore Fort. To a question whether his department has powers to stop WCLA from such activities, he said Archeology Department can’t stop WCLA from holding such festivals.
As per UNESCO, placing of Lahore Fort on the World Heritage List in Danger was done because it was facing many threats to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, and its integrity and authenticity. “These include ongoing degradation of the tangible features of the property, insufficient ability to monitor and control urban encroachments on and adjacent to the property, and insufficient ability to control the actions of other agencies which could impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property,” UNESCO’s website said.
On the other hand, Lahore commissioner allowed WCLA to hold the festival. The office commissioner also imposed several conditions such as no political matter/activity, no criticism on government, no procession/rally on roads, use of the sound system as per law, foolproof internal security, security and parking arrangements would be monitored by the authority as per law. Social media activists are sharing pictures/details of the festival taken from a drone camera, which has become the talk of the town, and people are preparing to participate in the festival.
