Daily Times

LAHORE: The Archaeology Department of Punjab so far has no active website or social media presence for disseminating information regarding archaeological sites, history, ongoing conservation or restoration projects or any other material necessary for the public and people related to the field, sources informed Daily Times.

At present in the age of technology, the Archaeology Department lacks a website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube channel, Instagram and other related social media platforms, whereas the existing page of Facebook was last updated in 2014, the sources informed.

Further, the department has no official Public Relation Officer (PRO) for dissemination or provision of information to anyone related to the field or general public, sources informed. The sources were also of the view that students and research scholars had to face difficulties in finding out authentic and official material relating to archaeological sites of Punjab and conservation projects being carried out in the province by the Archaeology Department and anyone requiring information had to route through several officers as there was no dedicated PRO available. The sources said that the department does not understand the importance and need of website, mobile applications, videos or social media and there was no dedicated information technology or media team in the department and that was one reason due to which they lacked presence on such platforms. The sources further added that the Archaeology Department of Punjab has the control of the international heritage sites along with many other monuments and due to their negligence and unawareness about the latest projection and promotional techniques the heritage promotion and marketing was suffering and therefore the heritage in Pakistan was losing popularity as nothing was present on internet which could help in boosting heritage among the tourists and heritage lovers.

Muhammad Nabeel, a university student of Tourism Department told Daily Times that during their course, they tried to find different materials relating to the heritage sites and working of Archaeology Department of Punjab, but nothing was available on Facebook or their website.

“During our course and research, we had to meet several officers for our thesis or assignments but we always ended up in confusion as officers deputed at different sites especially Shalimar Garden or Jahangir’s Tomb were reluctant to give any information and directed us to the head office of the Archaeology Department. This way, the students lose interest when they do not find proper guidelines and I think it is one of the reasons that students are not getting into the field of tourism as tourism is not being promoted by the Archaeology Department. Being the custodian of so many heritage sites, they should have a system of tourism promotion too of their sites so that students and other people get to know about it. Many sites on Grand Trunk Road or Multan Road which are under the possession of Archaeology Department have no officer on site to meet the visitors or give any information. I think Archaeology Department should establish a small tourism information centre on all their heritage sites for the ease of public,” he said.

Archaeology Department of Punjab Deputy Director Malik Maqsood Ahmed told Daily Times that the website would be developed in near future with the help of Punjab IT Board and it would be a comprehensive website.

“The total cost of this project is approximately 23 million which will include a comprehensive website, Facebook account and other important social media platforms. The upcoming website will have online ticketing, documentaries, virtual tours of important sites of Punjab, history of places and monuments, lists of monuments according to era and ages. We would be covering the entire Punjab heritage in this website and same information will be given on the social media linked with the website. The proposal for this website is being revised to reduce the cost and our departmental committee will be finalising it in a couple of day’s time after which the work on website will be started,” Malik Maqsood Ahmed said.

He further informed Daily Times that in case any student or research scholar needs any information they get it from the concerned officers or from the Archaeology Library located inside Lahore Fort.

“Every year we take students on internships and the universities write to us for this purpose. Mostly the internships are in the field of archaeology like documentation or surveying,” he commented. Malik Maqsood said that so far there was no PRO of the Archaeology Department and he was given the charge for the responsibilities of the PRO as well. He claimed that the website and social media would be soon functional for the public.

Published in Daily Times, May 23^rd 2018.