LARKANA, Pakistan: The Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday inaugurated a three-Day International Conference on Mohenjodaro & Indus Valley Civilization at Mohenjodaro, some 28 Kilometers away from Larkana.
The Conference was organized by the National Fund for Mohenjodaro and the Sindh Culture, Tourism and archeology Department.
In his address on the occasion, the Chief Minister called upon archeologists to explore new ways and means of research to explore remaining and hitherto undiscovered ruins of the Indus Valley Civilization, so that the world community might be able to know values of this ancient civilization and assured them that all required financial resources would be provided by the Sindh government, with a view to accomplish the task.
The Chief Minister lauded the role played by UNESCO for launching an appeal across the world to protect and preserve the site which was a universal heritage.
Murad Ali Shah paid rich homage to Former Prime Minister Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto for organizing the first ever conference on Mohenjodaro in 1972 which, he said, went a long way inviting the attention of the world community to this heritage of humanity.
The Sindh Chief Minister held out an assurance that recommendations and suggestions finalized by this International conference would be implemented in letter and spirit. He also praised the Provincial Archeological and culture department for organizing the International conference on the Indus Valley Civilization.
Moreover, Murad Ali Shah also said that the more research needed to explore undiscovered parts of the Indus Valley Civilization. He assured them that all required financial resources would be provided by the Sindh Government, with a view to accomplish the task.
In her address, the UNESCO’s Country Director to Pakistan Vibeke Jensen said that Mohenjodaro had been facing threats of onslaughts including flood, adding that UNISCO would continue to extend cooperation to protect the ancient site.
Vibeke Jensen underlined the need of enhancing capacity of expert and establishing modern laboratory.
The UNESCO’s Country Director to Pakistan also appreciated strong commitment demonstrated by the Sindh Government to protect and preserve the site.
Vibeke Jensen further said that the entire world community was willing to preserve and protect all tangible and intangible heritages across the world which was a testimony to the unity in diversity.
In his key note address said, renowned archeologist, Dr Kaleemullah Lashari said that decipher of the Indus script still remained as a challenge to archeologists of the world.
Dr Kaleemullah Lashari underlined the need of conducting more research and exploration to know of graveyards and cemeteries used by inhabitance of the Indus Valley civilization to bury their dead.
Dr Kaleemullah Lashari also called upon UNESCO to vigorously pursue its appeal to the world community for preservation of Mohenjodaro, which, he said, had for now, lost its momentum.
The archeologist also urged the government to review and update laws and policy viz-a-viz protection and preservation of Mohenjodaro.
Earlier in his welcome address, Sindh Minister for culture and archeology Syed Sardar Ali Shah said that in the wake of devolution of powers to provinces, a number of development projects had been launched by the Sindh government, aimed at protecting and preserving Mohenjodaro another ancient sites, adding that recommendations of the technical committee on the cultural corridor were being implemented vigorously by the provincial government.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister inaugurated a website on Mohenjodaro.
At the outset, a documentary on the historic aspects of research and excavation of Mohenjodaro was screened.
The Conference was attended among others by Sindh Ministers Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Syed Nasir Ali Shah, Jam Khan Shoro, Suhail Ahmed Siyal, Senator Sassui Palejo, and former Ambassador to United Arab Emirates (UAE) Abdul Razzak Soomro and archeologists from the Country and abroad.
