Background & Introduction

The ICOMOS Pakistan National Committee was initiated in 1993, by Late Dr. Ahmed Nabi Khan (then the Director General of the Department of Archaeology and Museums) but since its creation it did not show much signs of activity. In July 2004, a group of professionals involved with conservation works tried to investigate the status of this National Committee and on finding its official existence still valid with the International Secretariat tried to re-activate it. For this purpose membership record with the International Secretariat was taken up as the starting point and all persons in this list were contacted. In addition, a list of potential new members was developed and a meeting was called where all of these professionals were invited. The purpose of this meeting was to initiate a process of re-activation for the Pakistan National Committee and form a committee to take up this task. While this was still in process the President of ICOMOS, Prof. Michael Petzet visited Pakistan in March 2005, and met various people to discuss the issue of ICOMOS Pakistan and its re-activation. Based on these meetings a directive was sent by the International Secretariat identifying an interim committee (the Council of Management) for revival of ICOMOS Pakistan. The main objective for the formation of this National Committee is primarily to initiate activities that help in building up an awareness for heritage conservation, its principles and issues, etc., to facilitate in campaigning support for conservation projects in the country, and initiate programs for training of conservation professionals in the country.

In the three years of its existence the adhoc committee of ICOMOS Pakistan has focused on establishing the administrative setup for ICOMOS Pakistan, by officially creating ‘ICOMOS Pakistan Secretariat’ at the Department of Architecture and Planning, City Campus NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi; opening the ‘ICOMOS Pakistan’ account, and creating its permanent email address (icomospak@neduet.edu.pk). The Secretariat has been responsible for renewal and collection of annual membership dues and payment of the same to the International Secretariat, receiving membership cards from the Paris Secretariat and dispatching these to all the members, disseminating information received from the international network through email, maintaining and updating membership records, organising events and meetings, and pursuing new memberships. All these activities, except for the membership dues, have been supported financially and otherwise by the generous support of the NED University and its staff at the Department of Architecture and Planning.

Enlarging the membership on a country wide basis is one of the main tasks taken up by the interim committee and efforts are being made to reach out to professionals and experts from all areas of conservation to become members and strengthen ICOMOS Pakistan as an effective organization. So far archaeologists, architects, historians and planners based in different cities of Pakistan are among the members of ICOMOS Pakistan.