Shangla literary circle demands preservation of Sufi poet's tomb.

SHANGLA -- A local literary circle has demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to let the federal government execute the preservation of a Pashtu Sufi poet's mausoleum here.

The demand was made by members of Hafiz Alpuri Adabi Tolana (literary circle) while talking to reporters here on Monday.

They asked the federal archaeology department to initiate reconstruction and preservation work on the Pashtu Sufi poet, Hafiz Alpuri's tomb situated in Kuz Alpuri.

Fazal Subhan Afghani, a poet from Puran, said the federal government had approved Rs20 million for reconstruction and preservation of the mausoleum thanks to efforts of prime minister's adviser Eng Amir Muqam. He, however, regretted the provincial archaeology and museums department and the KP government had barred the federal entity from executing the project.

'We approached the provincial government many times to allocate funds for the tomb's preservation, but not a single penny was approved,' Mr Afghani regretted.

He said the federal archaeology and museums department had published an advertisement, inviting tenders for the project, and before opening of the tender scheduled for January 25, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa directorate of archaeology and museums on January 5 issued a letter to the federal body, stating the advertisement was illegal and against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Antiquity Act, 2015, amended in 2022.

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