By: Kamran Khamiso Khowaja
The land of Historic Two- Domed Gujarati School in Thatta has been illegally occupied by a group of non-native Afghani and Kandhari Pathans who are said to be backed by the influential people of the area.
According to reports a meeting of land grabbers was held at the site where they decided to occupy the land of the historical site. Later they were joined by dozens of laborers along with tractors who landed at the site and started leveling the land with the motive of usurping it.
The site had been declared National Heritage by the culture department, government of Sindh and its land occupied illegally was state-owned land.
Historians, academia and members of civil society expressed strong resentment over the illegal occupation of the land of the historic site. They urged stakeholders of district Thatta to take measures for the retrieval of the land.
Eminent historian and Chairman Sindhi Language Authority Dr. Mohammad Ali Manjhi told that earlier it was a seminary but was elevated as a School during British rule and was one of the famous educational institutes of Sindh where English, Arabic, and Gujarati languages were taught. Scholars of that era Abdul Sattar Nohrio and Mohammad Ali Kashani were professors of Gujarati and English at the School, he added.
Secretary of Sindh Adabi Sangat Ramzan Memon warned that if the illegal occupation of the lands of archaeological sites continued the district would lose its historical prestige. He further said that taking measures for the protection of the historical sites was among the prime responsibilities of the elected representatives but they were evading responsibility.
Social activist Ayaz Lashari vowed to launch a protest campaign against the land grabbers who have occupied the land of historical sites and those who were facilitating them.
Soon as this news went viral on social media the District Commissioner Thatta took notice and directed his subordinates to look into the matter and submit a detailed report regarding the issue.