Due to indifference attitude of the Sindh government, historical graves of Hazrat Sufi Hayat Faqeer and Hazrat Muhammad Chuttal Faqeer Khoso have turned into ruins, while the Sindh Culture, Tourism, Antiquities and Archives Departments have done nothing as yet to protect two centuries old cultural heritage.
Both Faqeers fought war against Afghan intruder Nadir Shah during Kalhoro dynasty with their army over 200 years ago and defeated him. A visit to the graveyard on Friday showed that both graves have been repaired by caretaker Faqeer Abdul Rahman Khoso at his own cost but much is still needed to be done to save the ancient graveyard from complete destruction and encroachment by influential land grabbers of the area. During 2010 mega floods, water was forcibly passed through this graveyard to save Shahdadkot town by a political person but miraculously floodwater did almost no damage to the graveyard.
Faqeer Abdul Rahman Khoso while talking to this scribe said that he has been constantly requesting PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, MPAs Faryal Talpur and Nadir Magsi to get the historical graves repaired and renovated but no notice has been taken to preserve ancient place. He said that even Kambar-Shahdadkot district administration has failed to protect the tombs which are gradually diminishing due to old age, non-repair and renovation. He said that district administration is also keeping us on fake, fabricated and unfounded commitments that they have written to the relevant provincial department authorities to carryout necessary repairs and renovation works but, he added, nothing has yet been done which has resulted in illegal encroachment of over seven acre costly land of the graveyard since 2007. He said if urgent measures are not taken then people of Sindh will be deprived of the history of their elders who fount bravely, defeated outsiders and saved their motherland.
He said that he even sent application to Prime Minister’s Public Affairs and Grievances Wing in 2017 when Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was the prime minister which was forwarded to the Sindh Chief Secretary but no action was taken as if deaf & dumb officers are sitting there who are unaware of importance of of historical places. He said that graveyard is located within the limits of Sanjar Bhatti police station of Shahdadkot Tehsil, Kambar-Shahdadkot district, but people have been taking their cattle into it for grazing which has damaged the ancient graves where research work is yet to be made. He said unavailability of boundary wall has resulted massive encroachments by influential habitual land grabbers and the concerned departments are only issuing letters to get the land retrieved but no concrete steps have been taken to prevent such issues permanently. He said donkey-carts have made a pathway which too has posed a danger to the graveyard. He said he even filed a constitutional petition No: D-889/2017 in the Sindh High Court, Circuit Court, Larkana, which is still pending decision. He said government is organizing festivals where public money is wasted but other places of historical importance are being ignored by the rulers which should be preserved at all costs for our future generations. Tomb of Ghulam Muhammad Bhurgri is also located within this graveyard.
He said district council chairman of Kambar-Shahdadkot has also paid no heed to his requests. Faqeer Abdul Rahman Khoso has demanded of the Sindh Government to construct boundary wall around the graveyard land so that it could be saved from encroachers, repair and renovation of graves of Hazrat Sufi Hayat Faqeer and Hazrat Muhammad Chuttal Faqeer Khoso so that historical heritage is saved for future.