China to help build museum at Bhasha dam

Facility will help preserve relics discovered around the dam site

ISLAMABAD:

China will help build an underground museum at the site of the Bhasha Dam to help preserve cultural relics discovered there.

This was disclosed during a meeting between the National Heritage and Culture Division Secretary Nausheen Javaid Amjad and Chinese Cultural Counselor Zhang Heqing in Islamabad.

Heqing said that Pakistan is rich in cultural heritage which should be well reserved, excavated, restored and exhibited.

Referring to the close ties between the two countries in fighting against the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), Heqing said that both sides should strengthen exchange and cooperation between them.

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Amjad said that Chinese people are fond of the Gandhara civilization and that an exhibit of 19 antiquities in China had attracted a large audience.

She said that the creative cultural industry plays a critical role in the social economy, and China has done very well in this regard.

Heqing further said that Beijing is willing to cooperate with Islamabad to conduct workshops on the subject.

For the preservation of cultural relics in the construction site of Bhasha Dam, the cultural counsellor said that building an underground museum is a huge project, for which the Chinese side will try to provide the necessary assistance.

Amjad said that 2020 marks the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, and both sides have agreed to organise cultural events.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2020.