The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the secretary Heritage Department and the provincial law officer to submit a report regarding the shifting of the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) from the Hindu Gymkhana.
Hearing a petition about the construction of an auditorium and allotment of office to the National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) at the Hindu Gymkhana — which is also a heritage site — a Supreme Court’s three-member bench inquired why NAPA had not been shifted from the Hindu Gymkhana despite the court orders.
The court observed that the Culture and Heritage Department was directed to take a decision about shifting of NAPA but the court orders were not complied with after almost three years.
The secretary culture submitted that his predecessor had sent the matter to Commissioner Karachi and his response is still awaited.
The National Academy of Performing Arts had earlier submitted before the court that the Hindu Gymkhana was given to it on a 30 years’ lease. It said it had not changed the character of the main building, but constructed an auditorium on the vacant land without altering the heritage site.
