Dadu: The ancient Badshahi Masjid in Khudabad, also known as Jamia Masjid, is collapsing despite large-scale repair work that is being carried out since 2009 at a cost of PKR 40 million.
According to a news source, the structure has developed wide cracks and tiles attached to its interior and exterior walls in a bid to preserve its beauty have fallen off during the renovation process.
Archaeologists and historians Maula Bux Shaikh, Professor Aziz Kangrani, and Roshan Ali, along with many other archeology enthusiasts who regularly visit the site, unanimously agree that the use of inferior material and unskilled labour resulted in the irrecoverable damage.
Ali, the executive director of the Society for Research and Heritage Development, reportedly stated that the loss can be attributed to the negligence of officials and corrupt individuals involved in the process. He added that substandard work, the use of poor quality tiles instead of the original Hala tiles called Kashi, and the use of cement instead of cheerily – the material used exclusively to restore heritage sites – led to the collapse of everything that had been fixed since 2009.
Reports of severe deterioration in the structure of the mosque and in the adjacent mausoleum containing the tombs of the Kalhoro family started emerging years ago. Yet, repair work did not officially begin until 2009.
The Badshahi Masjid was built by Mian Yar Mohammaed Kalhoro, the first ruler of the Kalhora dynasty, during his reign between 1701 and 1718. It is situated in Khudabad Town, a mere 13 kilometres from Dadu.
