Cultural heritage belongs to entire world: India on reconstruction by Pak in Taxila

New Delhi: India on Friday reacted strongly to reports of reconstruction work carried out by Pakistani authorities at two historic sites in Taxila, stressing that UNESCO World Heritage sites belong to all humanity and must be preserved collectively.

Responding to questions during the weekly media briefing in New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said cultural heritage is a shared global responsibility. "UNESCO-recognised heritage sites do not belong to any one country. It is our collective duty to protect, preserve and pass them on to future generations," he said.

According to Pakistan's daily Dawn, UNESCO has directed the Pakistani government to reverse reconstruction work at the Mohra Moradu and Sirkap archaeological sites in Taxila, warning that failure to comply could result in the site being placed on its "danger list" or even delisted. The issue surfaced after photographs of the reconstruction carried out by Punjab's archaeology department were shared with Pakistan's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO in Paris.

Following a joint technical inspection on June 12, UNESCO sought detailed documentation on the conservation work, including heritage impact assessments, photographs, laboratory reports on construction materials, and compatibility studies. Officials quoted by Dawn said the use of cement and reconstruction methods violated UNESCO conservation guidelines, potentially weakening Pakistan's efforts to secure World Heritage status for 24 additional historical sites. (IANS)

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