According to the EDO (Finance and Planning) Javed Iqbal, the project has already been approved and work on it will begin once the agreement between the city district government Multan (CDGM) and the project director is signed. The Italian government has announced its support of the restoration and preservation of Multan’s archaeological site and an MoU has already been signed between the Pakistani and Italian governments in this regard.
“The MoU was signed to seal our agreement and the meeting termed Multan and Rome to be twin cities because of their rich cultural heritage,” Iqbal said.
Local historians identify Multan as one of the oldest living cities on earth and Iqbal said that the project features included the restoration of monuments and decade-old houses with historical significance. Iqbal said that the new restoration scheme would take several years but he was happy with the initial draft of plans for conservation and preservation of ancient structures in the city.
The agreement will also involve a cultural exchange under which people of walled city will be given the chance to visit Rome and receive training to improve restoration and conservation work in the walled city. The MoU also specifies that the exchange will help Pakistanis in Rome undertake courses in health care, education and local government administration so that they can improve services in these areas upon their return to Pakistan. The project is expected to be completed in three years and walled city areas of Haram Gate and Pak Gate are to be developed under this project. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Welfare Department (PWD) has been assigned the task of preparing a PC-1 for restoration and reconstruction of historical gates in Multan.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2011
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