Centuries-old kharan fort is crumbling and needs preservation. No doubt, it holds an handsome archaeological significance, but has been left on the mercy of fate and has become a heaven for addicts.
The fort of kharan is considered the heritage of a princely state that is unfortunately fast decaying. The negligence on the part of government , NGOs and the department of archaeology has left it on the brink of collapse.
Kharan , once a part of Persian empire, was conquered in 1789 by Azad Khan Nosherwani. It had the distinction of being one of the four princely states prior 1951 when it was merged into Balochistan state union. It was ruled by Nosherwani tribe.
Additionally, azad khan was the founder of the state. He built a total number of eleven forts to successfully defend his state against foreign invasions. Amongst them , the biggest were the fort of Karez and the fort of kharan city. Painfully, only a few of them are still erected, though in deteriorating Condition , whereas the others have been razed to the ground.
The fort of kharan city , located in city’s congested locality , is stunning and its construction modus oprerandi is said to be mughal alike design. It is a two storyed fort and is spread on an area of approximately 400 square yards. It was built in three years with a workforce of 400. It is made of mud and small bricks. However, some locals are of the opinion that “gutch”( a contemporary constructing material ) has been used in its construction.
Moreover , an archaeological heritage is a site which the people visit to contact with past, but on the contrast, the fort of kharan has never caught the sight of visitors as the government’s ill treatment towards the fort has barred the latter to be declared an archaeological site.
From all round the clock, not only the castle itself , but its archaeological importance, wealth of information and artifacts are in greatest jeopardy.
For a long time, the fort has been exploited in the name of knowledge and treasure, looted for objects, destroyed out of idle curiosity and plundered for material for new construction.
oSumming up, the purpose behind the erection of the fort might have been stationing troops , strengthening the Power of kingdom, but above all , the security of kings and their families . However , in this day and age , the fort itself is in dire need of security .
A prompted and substantive action on the part of government , NGOs and the department of archaeology is much needed for the purpose of fort’s safety and protection. There is no time better than now to take initiatives rather than analyzing the causes in the aftermath of its collapse .
It is pertinent to request the provincial and district authorities to implement the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan, issued couple of years ago , to build a backyard for the fort’s protection and preservation. Proactive policies should be made so that not a piece of heritage but the whole of the fort is preserved.
saleemakbarbaloch 