Lax Restoration In Taxila Puts World Heritage Sites At Risk

ISLAMABAD -Recent restoration work at the World Heritage sites of Mohra Moradu and Sirkap in Taxila has raised serious concerns regarding the stewardship of Pakistan’s archaeological legacy. These sites, which have centuries of history, now risk being identified as endangered by UNESCO, not due to natural decay but because of ill-judged human intervention, a report has detailed.

“The reported use of cement in repairs, in violation of conservation standards, points to a deeper malaise: a troubling lack of expertise, oversight and commitment within the institutions concerned. Equally alarming is the lack of response by the Punjab Archaeology Department. An urgent communication from the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Islamabad, reportedly went unanswered for weeks. Such indifference is more than bureaucratic inertia; it signals a dangerous disregard for national heritage,” an editorial in Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn mentioned.

In this case, the silence indicates the department’s approach towards the issue. This approach showcases a broader pattern of neglect. Conservation is not only about preserving bricks and stones; it demands transparency, collaboration and respect for scholarly input. However, meaningful engagement with conservation experts and historians remains absent, endangering invaluable sites in Pakistan. These efforts could cause irreversible harm if investment is not made in specialized training and international best practices are not followed.

Last December, a leading minority rights organization accused Pakistan of deliberate neglect, institutional apathy and a decades-long refusal to preserve the religious heritage of the Hindu and Sikh communities that Pakistani authorities claim to protect.

According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), 98 per cent of Hindu and Sikh places of worship in Pakistan are either abandoned, locked, illegally occupied or left to rot — a situation the rights group said is not an administrative oversight but an indictment of Pakistan’s power structure itself.

Citing the latest findings laid before Pakistan’s Parliamentary Committee on Minority Caucus, the rights body stated that out of 1,285 Hindu worship sites and 532 gurdwaras recorded on paper, only 37 remain functional.

“What makes this neglect more painful is the pattern of systemic discrimination surrounding it. While temples crumble, school curricula continue to carry hateful or discriminatory content. Minority students receive fewer opportunities, with no equivalent scholarship or quota benefits to those offered to Muslim students. Government job representation remains dismally low, and even senior officials frequently skip caucus meetings where minority issues are meant to be addressed. The message this sends is unmistakable: minorities are seen as an afterthought, and their concerns are seen as optional,” the VOPM stated.

The rights body noted the tragic irony of Pakistan proudly showcasing sites such as Kartarpur to the world while hundreds of other temples and gurudwaras across the country lie in ruins.

“A single well-maintained shrine cannot erase the silence of the hundreds that have fallen into decay. Sacred spaces where generations once prayed now stand shattered, overtaken by weeds or illegally occupied by private interests. It is a loss not just for minorities but for Pakistan’s identity, its cultural continuity, and its moral credibility,” the VOPM emphasized. (IANS)