By Moaaz Manzoor

In a move aimed at strengthening the preservation and management of the country’s documentary heritage, the government has proposed two projects worth Rs580 million for the National Archives of Pakistan (NAP) under the Cabinet Division’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2026-27, according to budget documents available with Wealth Pakistan.

The two schemes, listed among new unapproved projects, include a Rs285 million national programme for the digitisation and restoration of archival heritage (NAP), and a Rs295 million project for the rehabilitation and upgrading of NAP under Phase-II. The documents show a proposed allocation of Rs200 million for the digitisation initiative and Rs295 million for the infrastructure project.

The proposed digitisation and restoration programme is intended to preserve valuable historical records by focusing on archival materials that are vulnerable to physical deterioration and loss. The documents note that the initiative seeks to protect such records through modern digitisation and restoration techniques, allowing historically significant material to be preserved in safer and more durable formats.

The move is also expected to improve access to archival resources for researchers, scholars and institutions by making records easier to retrieve, manage and preserve over the long-term. The documents further note that the programme would help strengthen institutional capacity through improved archival management practices, the adoption of international standards, and greater awareness of Pakistan’s documentary heritage.

The proposed Rs200 million allocation is meant to support the initial phase of implementation if the project receives formal approval.

Alongside this, the government has also proposed a Rs295 million infrastructure project under NAP Phase-II. According to the documents, the scheme is aimed at rehabilitation, upgrading and construction work to improve the functionality, safety and efficiency of archival facilities.

The project would restore and upgrade existing infrastructure to meet current standards, and also develop new facilities to support future institutional needs. It is expected to improve service delivery, durability and overall performance, thereby enhancing the NAP’s capacity to preserve and manage important national records.

Taken together, the two proposed schemes point to a broader effort to modernise Pakistan’s archival system by combining digital preservation with physical infrastructure development. If approved, the projects could help improve the protection, accessibility and long-term management of historically significant records across the country.

Credit: INP-WealthPk