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Near Mevashah Graveyard in Karachi, this dilapidated
house belongs to Noor Muhammad Baloch.
He prepared graves of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah,
Liaquat Ali Khan and other historic figures of Pakistan.
NOOR MUHAMMAD: We were digging a grave in the graveyard
when some special police personnel picked us up
and took us away.
They brought us to the place where
the Quaid’s mausoleum now stands
and told us to dig a grave.
My father said we need tools to dig a grave.
According to his son, Noor Muhammad’s father
was given a certificate by the government
for preparing graves of important people
upon whose expiration, after Shaheed-e-Millat’s
demise, a certificate for both figures was issued
which has now become dilapidated too.
They celebrate August 14, March 23, September 11,
But till date they do not realize what the state of the
man who dug Quaid’s grave is.
My children are starving, we have stopped their education.
This piece of paper could not help Noor Muhammad
during his life, nor after his death, and nor could it
play a role in the betterment of their poverty stricken life.
KHAWAJA RAZI HAIDER: The mausoleum board should
take responsibility of caring for that grave digger.
The one who digs the grave is one of those who
lower the deceased into the grave.
According to him, the digging of the Quaid’s grave
has its own importance.
Therefore, if Noor Muhammad gave his services,
then it should be a part of history too
and this family should be taken care of by the government.
This family, despite being poor, wishes to
educate their children for which they are
looking towards government institutions.