March 12, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1429

SUKKUR, March 11: Construction work of a rice mill on a piece of land on Lakhian Jo Daro, situated in Site area Sukkur, has been stopped immediately after issuance of a notice to the owner by the Site management.

An officer of the Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Haider Ali Gadi and Assistant Engineer Site, Mohammad Hanif Junejo, said that the owner of the plot Munawwar Chohan was served with a notice directing him to immediately stop construction work as a result of which the contractor started removing construction material from the site.

However, they have assured the owner of the plot that the archaeology department was competent to take final decision in the matter.

They maintained that Munawwar Chohan had not purchased the plot from Site management, but acquired it through resale from another party.

It may be recalled that the Lakhian Jo Daro site was discovered in 2007 in the Site area, Sukkur, and was also visited by former chief minister Sindh, Dr ArbabGhulam Rahim, after which provincial archaeology department, administration of Site Sukkur, district government Sukkur and the archaeology department of SALU Khairpur, entered into an agreement for further excavation of 14 acres of land, because of its historical importance.