MULTAN - The world-famous historical heritage at Qila Qasim Bagh Multan is fast deteriorating due to the negligence of Archaeology Department and local administration, The Nation has learnt. Those who come both from abroad and different parts of the country to Qila Qasim Bagh to enjoy Multans wealth of heritage sites get highly dismayed after coming across the condition of the monuments as Damdama, a higher place constructed on a mound and known as symbol of the fort, has developed dangerous cracks while the outer wall of Hazrat Shah Rukan-e-Alam shrine collapsed from one place. Well, its my second visit to this place, but this time I am highly disappointed. The ancient structures are fast decaying while greenery has vanished, even yet I could not find any action taken on part of the government to protect this treasure, said Abdul Khaliq, a visitor from Rajanpur. Multan is considered the oldest living city of the world and keeping in view the historical importance of this town, the federal government had announced a project to preserve and restore in their real form at least 52 historical buildings and places on pattern of Moroccan city Fez. Funds worth over Rs20 million were allocated as initial cost of the project out of which half of the amount was released during the last financial year. Commissioner Multan Syed Muhammad Ali Gardezi claimed a week ago that the project to conserve historical heritage of Qila Qasim Bagh had been launched. However, this scribe found out during a survey that nothing is being done at Qila Qasim Bagh so far. Sources confided to this scribe that all projects including Prime Minister Package had come to a halt because of non-availability of funds. The recent flash floods have wreaked a havoc. The reconstruction and rehabilitation phase is very enormous while the state is short of funds, sources added. One the other hand, the decaying ancient monuments require an urgent action on part of the state to halt this process. When tried to get district administrations version on this issue, an amazing state of affairs emerged as no official concerned could be traced despite hectic efforts. When contacted, the officials at District Coordination Officers (DCO) office told this scribe that EDO Agriculture Zafaryab Haider was appointed as focal person for Qila Qasim Bagh conservation project. However, the EDO Agriculture told that the project was being executed by the EDO Works Ghulam Abbas. When contacted, an official of the EDO Works office said that neither the EDO was available nor he had any contact number. The official further told that the project, however, was being done by the DO Building Ashfaq Shah, who was also missing like other officers. The monuments scheduled to be preserved include all historical structures at Qila Qasim Bagh like Barood Khana (Niggar Khana), Patrick Alexander and William Anderson memorials, Perhalad temple, the shrine of Hazrat Shah Rukn-i-Alam and the shrine of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya, the shrine of Hazrat Shah Rukn-i-Alam and Damdama. The other enlisted historical structures of Multan include Faseel (City Wall), Dorkha mosque, a mosque near the tomb of Hazrat Ali Akbar at Suraj Miani, the tomb of Shah Ali Akbar, the tomb of Shah Ali Akbars mother, the tomb of Shah Shamas Sabzawari, the shrine of Hafiz Jamal, Hafiz Jamal mosque, the shrine of Hazrat Musa Pak Shaheed and the shrine of Hazrat Hamid Shah Gilani, Mandar of Niamat Bai, Tarkhana Wali Masjid-1, Tarkhana Wali Masjid-2, Mandar Shah Majeed, Jain Mandar, Mandar Gopal, the tomb of Shah Yousaf Gardez, Dharamshala Dayal Singh, the shrine of Hazrat Shah Dana Shaheed, the shrine of Nawab Saeed Qureshi, the tomb of Mian Dalail, the tomb of Darbar Shah Bukhari, the shrine of Hazrat Bibi Pak Damna, the shrine of Khwaja Awais Khagga, Surj Kund temple, the tomb of Allah Dad Gurmani, tomb of Shah Ali Mardan, Khuddaka mosque, Wazir Khan mosque, the tomb of Mai Mehrban, the tomb of Shah Hussain Sadozai, Sawi Masjid graves, Nawab Ali Muhammad Khan mosque, Sakhi Yahya Nawab mosque, the shrine of Hazrat Musa Pak Shaheed, a mosque complex at Uch Gilanian, Musa Pak Shaheed mosque, tomb of Pir Luddan Kuddan, Khuni Burj, the shrine of Hazrat Yahya Nawab, the shrine of Hazrat Inayat Wilayat and Hazrat Inayat Wilayat mosque.