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The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture was held today in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Senator Hidayatullah Khan. The meeting was attended by Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi and Sarmad Ali. Aurangzeb Khan Khichi Federal Minister for National Heritage & Culture also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the Committee deliberated upon legislative and administrative matters concerning the National Heritage and Culture Division and the Quaid-i-Azam Mazar Management Board (QMMB).

The Committee was informed that after the judgment in the Mustafa Impex Case, the term “Government” had been extensively used for all administrative decisions, including appointments of lower-level employees and amendments in terms and conditions of service. It was observed that such matters unnecessarily required approval from the Federal Cabinet, causing administrative delays and procedural complications. In this regard, the Bill proposed replacing the word “Government” with the “concerned Division,” “Minister,” as appropriate, in order to delegate powers to relevant authorities and streamline administrative affairs. The Bill was unanimously approved by the Committee.

During the meeting, the Committee was invited to visit the Sir Syed Memorial Museum, where it was informed that valuable and rare vintage items from across the world had been collected and preserved. The Chairman Committee appreciated the efforts and performance of the National Heritage and Culture Division in preserving the national heritage of the country.

Secretary National Heritage and Culture Division informed the Committee that it was an honor for the Division to oversee and safeguard matters related to the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He stated that the QMMB was responsible for the maintenance and management of Awan-e-Nawadarat and the surrounding gardens. He further informed the Committee that the Division remained in close coordination with the Government of Sindh, which had always extended cooperation in matters concerning the mausoleum.

Mr. Aleem Sheikh briefed the Committee regarding the formation and functioning of the QMMB following the demise of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He informed the Committee that the Board comprised several distinguished dignitaries and that the current Board was constituted in 2023. Since its establishment, the Board had held five meetings. He further informed that the Board had no fixed expiry period.

Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi sought the minutes of all five meetings of the Board, along with decisions taken therein and their implementation status. The Secretary informed the Committee that four out of the five meetings had been held during the last ten months.

The Committee was informed about various challenges faced at the mausoleum premises, including incidents of drug sellers entering the area, theft of fencing, and encroachments in the form of illegal shops, which had recently been removed. Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi recommended involving the Inspector General of Police to ensure proper law and order arrangements and security at the mausoleum premises.

The Committee further recommended that representatives from Karachi should also be included in the Board. The officials informed the Committee that a new Board would likely be constituted in August 2026 and that members from Karachi would probably be included therein.

The Committee was informed that the total number of officers in BS-17 and above was five, while officials from BS-01 to BS-16 numbered 107. It was further informed that the total budget estimate for the QMMB for the financial year 2025-26 stood at Rs. 353.921 million.

Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi expressed concern over the presence of garbage within the mausoleum premises and offered to coordinate a meeting with Karachi Waste Management authorities to improve cleanliness arrangements.

The Committee was informed that the total area of the Quaid-i-Azam Mazar covered 13.718 acres, while the South Peripheral Area spread over 35.277 acres where Pakistan Park was proposed to be established. The Committee recommended that all four provinces should contribute Rs. 50 million each towards the maintenance and facilitation of the general public visiting the mausoleum, while Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan should also contribute according to their capacity.

The Committee also decided to constitute a Sub-Committee on National Heritage and Culture Division to oversee the ongoing work and affairs related to the Quaid-i-Azam Mazar. The Committee was further informed that the renovation and revamping of Awan-e-Nawadarat was currently underway and that additional grant allocation would be sought under the PSDP for the financial year 2026-27.

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