Pakistan currently has six sites recognised by Unesco as World Heritage. While these include the ruins of Moenjodaro; the ancient universities and Buddhist monasteries of Taxila and Gandhara; the Mughal architecture of Lahore; the necropolis of Makli; and the great forts scattered across the country, the country’s heritage is far greater than that. And it seems that the folks up in the country’s power corridors have finally realised that. The recent effort to add more of that heritage to the international record confirms this. Pakistan expanded its Unesco Tentative List from 25 to 37 properties this year, while seeking the inclusion of Ranigat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Port of Banbhore in Sindh. The government has also proposed having Pakistani culinary traditions recognised as intangible cultural heritage. Unesco recognition can bring international attention, technical expertise and greater opportunities for tourism and conservation. But it cannot preserve these sites. That responsibility rests with the government. Heritage properties here have faced problems ranging from poor conservation and encroachment to environmental damage and inadequate management. The recent controversy over the restoration work at Taxila is a glaring example of how little attention these historical places receive.
Adding more sites to international lists will have little meaning if the country cannot properly look after the heritage it already has. Pakistan is not alone in its disregard for heritage sites. Its neighbours, particularly India and Afghanistan, have also failed to understand that such sites are more than tourism. Heritage is a record of who we were and how different civilisations interacted with one another. Taxila, for instance, contains evidence of Persian, Greek, Central Asian, Buddhist and Muslim influences. The Gandhara civilisation itself shows how ideas, art and religion travelled across South and Central Asia. Preservation also becomes exceptionally important in a region where historic sites have sometimes become victims of political and religious conflict. The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan by the Taliban remains a stark reminder of how quickly irreplaceable heritage can be lost.
The experience of Muslim heritage in India also shows why historical monuments must be protected from political and religious disputes. The demolition of Babri Masjid and continuing disputes involving historic mosques show how easily places carrying centuries of history can become symbols in contemporary political battles. Almost every major Pakistani city has buildings, neighbourhoods and public spaces worth preserving. Local governments and provincial authorities can work together to maintain them. Development plans should account for protected buildings and archaeological sites. Owners of important private historic properties should be incentivised to preserve them, rather than letting maintenance costs become a reason for demolition. We have to show the world Pakistan’s significance and how it was once a centre of excellence. We have ignored this part of our history for too long and we can only hope that lessons now learned will not be forgotten.
