Provincial Minister for Culture and Tourism Syed Sardar Ali Shah has said that nations are recognised for their history and traditions, and Sindh has a glittering past in this regard.
He shared these views during the inauguration of the newly renovated and refurbished mausoleum of renowned historian of the 18th century, Meer Ali Sher Quane. The inauguration took place at the historical site of Makli Necropolis on Thursday evening.
On the occasion, Shah extended special gratitude for undertaking renovation work in collaboration with Sindh Culture Department, and as per the rules of UNESCO.
Expressing his views, the minister highlighted that Mir Ali Sher was ranked amongst illustrious scholars of his era who fostered knowledge by writing more than 50 books.
The minister said that UNESCO had excluded Makli Necropolis from its list of International Heritage Sites but after the renovation work carried out by the culture department and endowment fund, its status was restored.
“Endowment Fund has played a vital role in refurbishment of the historical site and has kept the historical status of these sites intact”, he said, adding that Moen-Jo-Daro, Necropolis of Makli and other historical sites depict the flamboyant past of Sindh when it was epitome of knowledge and tradition.
Shah further highlighted that two of the six internationally recognised historical sites were in Sindh and that they were trying to maintain those sites as per the protocols and standards prescribed by the UN agency.
A rectangle-shaped umbrella has been constructed upon the mausoleum to give it a fascinating look.
The minister said that UNESCO had excluded Makli Necropolis from its list of International Heritage Sites but after the renovation work carried out by the culture department and endowment fund, its status was restored.
It would be worthwhile mentioning here that around Rs3 million were spent on the rehabilitation of Makli Necropolis so the structure regains its lost status.
The minister said that an operation was underway for retrieving such lands from the clutches of land mafia.
“Historians of Sindh should step forward to protect and preserve the historical significance of every nook and corner of this land through their writings as it has given them name and fame”; Shah, who always seems optimistic for promoting the culture and traditions of Sindh, stressed.
He also said that land grabbers keep an evil eye on the lands of the historical sites and everyone should play their part for protecting these sites.
The minister said that an operation was underway for retrieving such lands from the clutches of land mafia.
Shah termed the international conference at Makli Necropolis a major achievement of Sindh government and it showed our commitment towards preserving our historical places.
People like MH Phanwer, Meer Ali Sher Quane, Hashamudin Rashdi and others contributed significantly through their writings and research work, he said.
He announced on the occasion that those with special qualification in archeology would be recruited in the the department to meet the standards of UNESCO in this regard.
Meer Ali Sher Quane gained recognition as a research scholar during the Mughal regime. He authored more than 50 books on different topics. As a scholar he was much inspired by the work of Maulana Rumi and Al-Ghazali as both had command over different genres of literature. Lives of Sufis in subcontinent, incident of Karbala and compilation of famous incidents of human history are among his prominent works.
