LARKANA: On the direction of Sindh Minister for Culture Syed Sardar Ali Shah, the historical vehicle used by archaeologist Sir John Marshall has been shifted to the National Museum in Karachi for repairing and bringing it in ‘original’ form, local officials confirmed.
The vehicle was kept in the custody of the Mohenjo Daro Museum for about a century, sources available with the department said. In 1922, excavation at the Mohenjo Daro site started under the supervision of RD Banergi, then director of the Archaeology Department. Sir John Marshall, then director general of the department, took part in the excavation in 1925 and used the Canada-made Ford car of model 1901.
The wheels of the car were made of wood and rims of iron. As per the existing laws, the requisite car comes under the Antiquity Act 1975 and should be preserved accordingly. Sir Marshall remained in Mohenjo Daro for five years from 1925 to 1930 but left behind his personal car, which is an object of historical significant.
However, the 115-year-ago made car is lying at the museum unattended since over 85 years. After much uproar in the press about its preservation, the Sindh culture minister had inspected the car and promised to shift it to Karachi for a repair. After its repair, the car will be brought back to its original site as it is a treasure.
However, Mohenjo Daro Museum curator Zaheeruddin Shar informed the press that the car has been shifted to Karachi for the repair on the orders of the Culture Department, but he has not been told whether it will be returned to its original location. On the other hand, civil society representatives have expressed their apprehensions that the vehicle would not be returned to the Mohenjo Daro Museum and it would be kept in Karachi or elsewhere.
Previously, many artifacts were shifted to Lahore and Karachi on various pretexts but have never been returned to this museum, it said. They urged the higher authorities to ensure the car’s return to its original place – the Mohenjo Daro Museum.