HYDERABAD:
The manner in which the anti encroachment drive launched by the Thatta district government near the historic Makli graveyard to supposedly make way for the construction of residential complexes did not appear to go with the provincial culture department.
The site around Makhdoom Hashim Thattvi graveyard, within the larger Makli necropolis, spread over 10 square kilometers, had been marked for construction of residential plots.
Sindh Culture Minister Sassui Palijo had formed a four-member committee under archaeology department director Qasim Ali Qasim to inspect the site and to submit a report.
The necropolis contains over half a million graves and multiple mausoleums that belong to the Samma, Arghun, Tarkhan and Mughal dynasties, and date back from early 14th century to the 18th century.
The site is on the heritage list of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). However, Unesco officials were concerned that Makli might be included in the list of endangered monuments.
The four-member committee concluded that numerous graves with Arabic and Persian inscriptions have been bulldozed or excavated, and recommended that the land needed to be vacated.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2012.
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