Daily Times

DADU: Historians and research scholars have appealed to Paris-based UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to declare centuries-old Khudabad mosque and other historical sites of the Kalhoro dynasty as world heritage sites.

They also demanded preservation of these historical sites – located in Khudabad town and its surroundings in Sindh’s this district – on urgent basis to save them from either vanishing or being encroached. A three-member team of historians and research scholars from Punjab headed by Prof Akmal Nawaz Abbasi and a three-member team from Sindh headed by Prof Aziz Kingrani visited 317-year old Badshahi Masjid of Khudabad located along the Indus Highway.

The teams also visited 336-year old mosque – built during the reign of Yar Muhammed Kalhoro before 1700. The visiting scholars said that these historical sites of the Kalhoro dynasty were falling due to no repairing and preservation, while some local people were also encroaching land of these sites.

During the visit, the team from Punjab pointed out cracks in three tombs of the mosque. Both the teams also visited the tombs of 12 army generals of the Kalhoro dynasty and observed that the condition (of the tombs) is deteriorating and could be collapsed any time. The teams visited the mosque and found it in poor condition as well.

Prof Akmal Nawaz said that various parts of the mosque were near to fall due to carelessness of the authorities concerned. He said that the historical mosque was in danger due to heavy rains and no repairing for the past several years. The mosque could collapse any time if not preserved on time, he said.

He said that this mosque was constructed in 1680, while the Khudabad town was declared capital of the Kalhoro dynasty in 1700 and remained so till 1752. He appealed to UNESCO to declare this site as the world heritage and preserve it on urgent basis. Prof Aziz Kingrani also said that there were many historical sites of the Kalhoro dynasty at the area of 300 acres but all were demolished as people of the area encroached and started to cultivate their crops.

He lamented that millions of rupees were misused by using substandard material in the repair work of the mosque. The teams were accompanied by SRHD-Society for Research and Heritage Development executive director Roshan Ali Khushik and social activist Allah Bux.

According to some record, the mosque served as a school as well as for military training. It is divided into two parts one 80ft by 21ft and the other 80ft by 25ft with a height of 34ft. An open yard in front is enclosed by walls 100ft by 80ft. Sadly, the tile work has been damaged by some visitors trying to dig out separate tiles from the walls.