ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, chaired by Senator Naseema Ehsan, was informed on Monday that a Rs. 285 million modernisation project is under way to upgrade fire safety systems, lighting, and environmental controls at the National Archives of Pakistan.
Officials; however, highlighted the shortage of skilled archivists due to low salaries and limited career prospects.
In response, the Chairperson of the committee recommended engaging academia and other relevant stakeholders to introduce specialised archival preservation courses and upgrading professional posts to attract qualified personnel.
The Committee was further informed that approximately nine million archival documents have been digitised, while the next phase envisages providing public access through an online e-library. Appreciating this initiative, Chairperson Senator Naseema Ehsan directed that robust cybersecurity and data protection measures be incorporated into the legal framework to safeguard the country’s documentary heritage.
During the meeting, the Secretary, Cabinet Division, invited the Committee to visit the National Archives of Pakistan to observe ongoing preservation efforts.
The Committee also considered the draft Preservation and Export Control Rules, 2025, designed to regulate the preservation, exhibition, and export of archival material owned by both private individuals and public authorities.
Members welcomed the introduction of licensing mechanisms to curb the illegal movement of historical records outside Pakistan.
The Committee expressed particular concern over archival collections in provincial custody, especially in Kalat, and called for their digitisation and preservation through coordinated efforts with provincial authorities.
The Chairperson emphasised the need for stricter legal penalties for the smuggling of archival material and directed the inclusion of disaster risk management measures to protect archives from natural calamities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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