LAHORE, AUG 17 (DNA) – The administration of Lahore Museum and visitors heaved a sigh of relief on Thursday as Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leader Dr Tahir ul Qadri called off his party’s women-only sit-in at the Mall Road on Wednesday night.

The Lahore Museum was built during the British period from 1849 to 1947 and it is home to the country’s largest and oldest collection of historical, cultural and artistic objects. Its collections of Gandhara sculpture, miniature paintings, rare manuscripts and old coins are known throughout the world. The museum houses artefacts from many countries and regions such as Burma, Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

The museum had to bear the brunt of Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) women sit-in on Wednesday and the museum administration remained on the toes the whole day. The number of visitors was also thin as roads leading to the museum were closed and a security risk existed because of the protest.

“The museum administration remained in a fix the whole day whether to close it or not,” said a museum staffer, who wished not to be named.

He further elaborated that although the museum administration closed the main entrance for the visitors, there was still fear of any untoward attack from the protestors.