LAHORE, Sep 28 (DNA):The United States Consul General to Lahore Krsitin Hawkins Thursday inaugurated fifth conservation and preservation project at South East minaret and Southern hujra of of the 16th century Wazir Khan Mosque.She said this mosque and the chowk symbolise the rich cultural and religious heritage of Lahore, and ‘I am proud that the support from the U.S. government is helping to restore and revitalise this very site.’
United States is committed to preserving the cultural heritage of Pakistan and so far the US has funded 32 projects across Pakistan worth 7.6 million dollars.
The previous projects at Wazir Khan mosque include this very chowk where ‘we stand today and it has been turned into a bustling public place from a mound of debris’.
Kristin Hawkins thanked the Agha Khan Cultural Services and the Walled City Lahore Authority for their partnership in restoring and preserving the site in its original form.
The Consul General Ms. Hawkins also visited the Imam (prayer leader) Ghulam Mohammad (known as Imam Gamu) mausoleum which has been restored with the Ambassdor’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.
She was also shown round the historic Mughal era Wazir Khan mosque where she inaugurated the conservation work at the Southern hujra along side Director General WCLA Kamran Lashari and CEO AKTC Tauseef Khawaja.
Hawkins showed keen interest in the architecture and fresco work at the mosque. She also visited a calligrapher and talked to him about the art.
