Moen Jo Daro, the most important site of the Indus civilisation lies in Pakistan. PHOTO: FILE
Poor planning on the government's part, public indifference and lack of tourism infrastructure has meant that the world's oldest planned urban landscape could be corroded to dust.
While international experts and Pakistani officials met last week in Karachi to come up with ways to save the site, the need for a restoration plan is immediate, the report stated.
Jawad Aziz, a Unesco heritage expert, said the need for action is vital.
“I’ve visited the site and seen the bricks,” he said. “They will be crumbling down, so it’s very urgent.”
According to the report, "Summer temperatures of 51c, winter frosts, torrential monsoon rains and humid air all combine to leave the sun-dried clay bricks with a dusting of salt crystals that dries them out and sucks them to dust."
Officials said that even though preservation work has been going on since the first major excavation in 1924 and was intensified when Moen Jo Daro was made a World Heritage Site, the initiative suffered from an unsteady flow of funds.
Dr Asma Ibrahim who is a leading Pakistani archaeologist told The Telegraph, "there is no department with expertise, no decisions taken for the last two year. The way things are going, it will survive maybe only another 20 years.”
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english-educated riffraff amongst the Indians nd Pakistanis make only those issues their own issues which the gora appreciates and approves of...The slaves of the gora hate their own language , dress, food, havelis, ..but shed tears for what the gora told them was important for them..
@Dr A K Tiwari sahib, I have seen some pictures of Heritage sites of india first one Babry Mosque, and second karnatka.
@Confused: Correct version starting from 1947 and before that amnesia!
I think Pakistan should outsource the restoration of Moenjodoro, Harappa and Taxila to India. India did a very good job recently in Cambodia. I think they are still continuing there.
@Dr. A. K. Tewari: What's there to discuss about Kashmir? You were already given a piece of land which you messed up big time.
no one cares......... stupid
@ Dasmir , But they have to discuss Kashmir first and then the others .
This what Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif should have discussed rather than LOC. It si a joint heritage of mankind. SAVE IT!
Who cares about these old sites anyways? Other issues are far more important like clean water, electricity, railway infrastructure etc. We are a poor country. Need to prioritize utilization of resources.
@islooboy: I agree with the author of the above article that in Pakistam no one is being educated to respect their ancestors . In fact it is the common perception among the muslims that only the black stone at Kabaa deserves there respect and no other statue or monument should be protected . The result is that statue of lord Buddha at Bamiyan is no more . People will say it is an act of Taliban but to me it also reflects the preachings of so called religion of peace .
@Dr.A.K.Tewari: who on lords earth told you that there are 2 sites of indus valley moenjedaro and harrapa harrapa is still in good condition it is the fault of provincial government that moenjedaro is in ruins
Shame on sixty-six years old rogue, corrupt, savage and failed state known as 'Islamic Republic of Pakistan' for utterly and with venom and impunity are party to the destruction, denigration and degaradtion of this glorious 7,000 to 10,000 years old Civilisation, We appeal UNESCO and other civilised human beings to save this worthy and noble heritage, which belongs to not just Sindh but the entire World!
“there is no department with expertise, no decisions taken for the last two year. The way things are going, it will survive maybe only another 20 years.” ....... Moen Jo Daro ??? my friends with present state of affairs, I am worried about Minar e Pakistan and Mizar e Quaid !!!!
we should raise funds to save our heritage, I mean even simpler, why not students in Karachi's rich urban settlements given tours to this place to raise awareness and also why not start volunteer programs in archeology departments.
@Aamir how is it UNESCO's fault if Pakistan cannot protect its own heritage? Also what about our people desecrating these monuments when visiting them ourselves... We need to get our own house in order before blaming others...
@Aamir: Agree with you completely. First time I went to see Shalimar in Lahore, as a child, its fountains were working, it was green and worth the visit. The last was when I took my children years ago and it resembled a garbage dump or pretty close to it. A country that has no respect for its heritage can only go in one direction.......DOWN.
So what Pakistan don't need to preserve indus valley,Bhagat Singh House, ranjit singh house or any other any of these foreign sites.Pakistan has its own history starting from 11th century.
Great news for the peace loving people of pakistan, practising the religion of peace. All the evidence of their glorious pagan past will be peacefully eradicated.
Sad
But do we care about our heritage? No. What is UNESCO / World Heritage site Pakistani employees doing? Enjoying their parties in Islamabad. Do they ever visit. No.
I went to Shalimar after 30 years. Shambles. My children will have nothing to cherish, call their own in their on land. So we will be left to enjoy heritage sites in Europe, Egypt, Cambodia.
We are a sorry lot who do not respect our heritage.