'Mohenjo daro is an integral part of cultural heritage of Sindh'

KARACHI:

The Sindh government has responded strongly to a claim by India's ministry of culture regarding Mohenjo daro, rejecting any attempt to distort the site's historical identity.

Sindh Minister for Culture and Tourism, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, said that all efforts to misrepresent the history of Mohenjo daro are unacceptable and contrary to academic and cultural integrity.

He stated that Mohenjo daro is an integral part of the cultural heritage of Sindh and Pakistan. Claiming exclusive ownership of the Indus Valley Civilization by any one country, he said, is inconsistent with historical facts.

The minister emphasised that Mohenjo daro is a magnificent archaeological site recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and that its identity and historical significance are beyond dispute.

He further noted that artifacts discovered at Mohenjo daro, including the famous 'Dancing Girl', are part of Sindh's cultural heritage.

Shah said that the Indus Valley Civilization existed thousands of years before the formation of modern nation-states and stressed that the Sindh government rejects any Indian attempt to claim or associate the heritage of Mohenjo daro exclusively with itself.