US to spend over $260,000 on restoration of Makli Hill tombs

Ambassador Olsen announces money will be spent on restoration of Tombs of Sultan Ibrahim and Amir Sultan Muhammad

THATTA: The US government has announced to spend more than $260,000 on the restoration of the tombs of Sultan Ibrahim and Amir Sultan Muhammad in Makli Hill, Sindh, under the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) project.

The announcement was made by US Ambassador Richard Olson during his visit to Makli Hill in Thatta on Wednesday.

“The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation is a centrepiece of America’s partnership with Pakistan in the area of art and culture,” he said.

The envoy said the US embassy has worked with partners in federal and provincial governments on 17 projects across Pakistan.  This is the first project in Sindh.  “Our investments in these cultural preservation projects demonstrate our respect for the rich heritage and diversity of Pakistan,” he added.

Situated some 98 kilometres east of Karachi, Makli Hill is one of the largest necropolises in the world. The site includes the tombs of kings, queens, governors, saints, scholars, and philosophers from the 14th Century to the 18th Century.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named Makli Hill a World Heritage site in 1981.

The AFCP is supporting the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects, and forms of traditional cultural expression in more than 100 countries around the world.