LARKANA - Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday called upon archaeologists and conservation experts to explore new ways and means of research and hitherto undiscovered ruins of Indus Valley Civilisation.
Speaking at the inauguration of the three-day International Conference on the Indus Valley Civilisation at Mohenjo Daro, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah urged the world to do research to know values of this ancient civilisation and find proper ways of conservation. He said that all resources and required financial help would be provided by the government of Sindh and the world community with a view to accomplish the task under the provincial culture, tourism and archaeology department.
Murad Ali Shah paid rich tributes to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto for organising the first ever conference on Mohenjo Daro in 1972 and inviting the attention of the world to this heritage. He lauded the role of UNESCO for launching an appeal across the world to protect and preserve the sites of world heritage. He assured that recommendations and suggestions finalised by this international conference would be implemented in letter and spirit.
The UNESCO country director expressed concern over the fact that Mohenjo Daro had been facing threat of floods and other environmental issues. The country director said that UNESCO would continue to extend assistance to protect the ancient sites. She underlined the need for enhancing capacity of experts and establishing a modern laboratory. She also appreciated a strong commitment demonstrated by the Sindh Government to protect and preserve the site.
She said the entire world community was willing to preserve and protect all tangible and intangible heritages across the world that was a testimony to the unity in diversity.
Renowned archaeologist Dr Kaleemullah Lashari said in his keynote address that deciphering the Indus Script was a challenge to archaeologists of the world even today. He underlined the need for conducting more research to explore the graveyards and cemeteries used by inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilisation to bury their dead.
He called upon UNESCO to vigorously appeal to the world community to conserve Mohenjo Daro. He also urged the government to review and update laws and policy viz-a-viz protection and preservation of Mohenjo Daro.
Earlier, Sindh Minister for Culture and Archaeology Syed Sardar Ali Shah said in his welcome address that in the wake of devolution of power to provinces, a number of development projects had been launched by the Sindh government to protect and preserve the sites of Mohenjo Daro. He said that recommendations of the technical committee on the cultural corridor were being implemented vigorously by the provincial government.
The chief minister, on the occasion, inaugurated a dedicated website on Mohenjo Daro. A documentary on the historic aspects of research and excavation of Mohenjo Daro was also screened on this occasion.
The conference was attended among others by provincial ministers Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Syed Nasir Ali Shah, Senator Sassui Palejo, national and international archaeologists and foreign experts.
Nazir Siyal
