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Shafaq News
19-07-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
The Largest ever: 30 billion Dinars allocated to revive Kirkuk's identity
Shafaq News – Kirkuk The Kirkuk Citadel and the Ottoman-era Qishla, two of the city's most prominent historical landmarks, are set to undergo the largest restoration project in Kirkuk's history, the Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage announced on Friday. The project, backed by 30 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately $20 million) in government funding, is part of a broader effort to preserve the city's cultural identity and boost its tourism sector. The Kirkuk Citadel is one of the oldest archaeological sites in northern Iraq, with a history spanning over 3,000 years and linked to civilizations such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Sasanians, and Ottomans. The Qishla, built during the Ottoman period as a military and administrative center, still retains much of its architectural character despite years of neglect. Raaed Akla al-Obaidi, director of the Antiquities Department in Kirkuk, told Shafaq News that the project follows official approvals from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities. The ministry emphasized that renovation work must be handled by a specialized firm with solid experience in restoring historical structures to ensure the preservation of the Citadel's original arches, decorations, and architectural details. Obaidi noted that companies from Turkiye, Iraq, and Egypt have submitted bids for the restoration work. A technical committee will review these proposals and select the most suitable according to international heritage preservation standards. The directorate has completed all technical and engineering assessments for the Qishla building and submitted them to the ministry in Baghdad to allocate the necessary funds. The project's financing will come from emergency allocations, as confirmed by the Minister of Culture in recent meetings with provincial heritage officials. 'All technical and administrative requirements for the Citadel's rehabilitation have also been completed,' Obaidi said. The restoration will include key landmarks within the complex, such as the church, mosques, religious schools, traditional houses, gates, fortress walls, and the 'Green Dome.' According to recent assessments, these structures require between 40% to 70% restoration work. Sarmad Mohammed Jameel, head of Kirkuk's Tourism Directorate, told Shafaq News that the Citadel and the Qishla are not merely old stone buildings but represent the cultural and historical identity of Kirkuk, reflecting the legacy of successive civilizations from the Sumerians and Assyrians to the Ottomans. He added that the project's success would directly support the local tourism industry by attracting visitors from across Iraq and abroad. Jameel said, 'Revitalizing these heritage landmarks would help restore Kirkuk's historic stature and pave the way for cultural festivals, art exhibitions, and traditional markets within the Citadel and Qishla.'These developments are expected to stimulate the local economy and generate new job opportunities. Ali Shakir, a historian and academic, told Shafaq News that the Citadel and Qishla are central to the city's collective memory. Restoring them according to international standards, he said, could help Kirkuk regain some of its lost cultural vibrancy. He emphasized that these landmarks are not 'silent stones' but living testimonies to the coexistence of Kirkuk's ethnic and religious communities. Shakir added that the Qishla, with its distinct Ottoman architecture, could be repurposed into a cultural center, museum, or tourist site that connects younger generations to their city's past, helping raise public awareness about the importance of preserving heritage.
Express Tribune
25-04-2025
- Express Tribune
SBCA allegedly violated rules to allow heritage building demolition
A historic building located in Clifton's Bath Island area was illegally demolished during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, despite being officially listed as a heritage structure. Sindh Chief Secretary Khalid Haider Shah has taken notice of the incident and ordered an inquiry into the matter. The building in question, known as Kharis House, was situated at Plot No. 4 FT-4/1, Bath Island Clifton. According to the Sindh Antiquities Department, the structure had been declared a protected heritage site. However, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) granted demolition approval in October last year - a move that the Antiquities Department claims was unauthorized. Director General of the Sindh Antiquities Department, Abdul Fattah Sheikh, told The Express Tribune that the demolition began on March 28 and was nearly 90 percent completed by the following day. He added that the demolition was deliberately delayed for months after approval, and the final act was carried out strategically during the public holidays to avoid scrutiny. According to Sheikh, the SBCA's decision to permit the demolition violated established legal procedures. "Under the law, demolishing a heritage building requires consultation with and recommendation from the Technical and Advisory Committees, in addition to explicit permission from the Antiquities Department. None of these steps were followed in this case," he said. The Antiquities Department has formally written to SBCA Director General Ishaq Khuhro, demanding an internal inquiry into the unauthorized demolition. "This is a serious breach of preservation laws and an alarming act against Karachi's cultural heritage," Sheikh noted. In response to the incident, Sindh's Chief Secretary has directed the Karachi Commissioner to launch a thorough investigation. The aim is to determine who was responsible for allowing the demolition to proceed without mandatory heritage approvals. Efforts to obtain a comment from SBCA DG Ishaq Khuhro were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to repeated calls and messages from The Express Tribune. Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah expressed grave concern over the incident and emphasized that the protection of cultural and historical heritage is of utmost importance. He warned that any negligence or unlawful actions concerning heritage properties will not be tolerated and will be met with appropriate legal consequences. Furthermore, the Chief Secretary instructed the Secretary Culture to initiate the mapping of all heritage buildings in Karachi and to upgrade the vigilance mechanisms to prevent any future violations or unauthorized demolitions. The demolition of Kharis House has sparked fresh concerns about the lack of enforcement of heritage protection laws in Karachi, where historic buildings are increasingly vulnerable to commercial development pressures. The Antiquities Department is now calling for stricter oversight to prevent further erosion of the city's architectural legacy.
