The British left nine hundred libraries, out of which only one hundred and seventy nine remain, sources have revealed. The golden literature covering era of 400 years, from 1600 to 2000 lays under heap of mud on the floors, broken desks and cupboards in the horse stable of the Lahore Civil Secretariat.
Over 70,000 rare books and over one million documents and manuscripts remain dumped in an unorganized manner in the office of the high official. The collection of the Punjab history covering period of more than 500 years is the rare and one of the literature pieces that covers the events of the time of the region from Kabul to Delhi and Kashmir to Sindh.
Ironically, the rich library was vacated to turn it into an official living place, at the cost of causing damage to the rich heritage. Unlike us, there exists a fine better version of the old heritage literature, preserved in the British Museum Library of London.
The Punjab history details, the Afghan rulers, Sikhs, Mughal Empire, British. From letters of the poets like Mirza Ghalib to the secret documents that manifest the rising of the revolts during the era remain dumped, in a deteriorated state in the horse stable. Moreover, one of the retired has ordered of making a bathroom in place which was once a library.
The appalling condition calls for action from the high authorities and the masses to take notice of the ‘literature genocide’ or we would lose the treasure which has already lost its significance. Heart-wrenching it is! Punjab government is less interested to preserving the historical literature that manifests its role in the past period.
