LAHORE: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) says it has not yet officially sent the decision of its World Heritage Committee (WHC) to the state party and the Punjab government officials’ claim of getting a go-ahead for the Orange Line track in front of the Shalamar Gardens during the WHC’s 40th session in Istanbul (Turkey) doesn’t convey an accurate idea of the committee’s decisions.

“It (the claim/information) does not convey an accurate idea of the decision of the committee,” Junhi Han, programme specialist (World Heritage Centre, Unesco, Paris, France), said in a reply on Thursday to Dawn’s email of July 11 sent to Unesco for its stance on Orange Line track in front of the Shalamar Gardens.

She said she had also communicated all the necessary material to Pakistan’s Unesco office in Islamabad, which would make a statement for the press in view of the sensitive situation regarding the Orange Line train project.

“I think this statement will be released as soon as possible and convey the stance taken by the World Heritage Committee accurately.

UN body didn’t allow train near Shalamar Gardens: civil society

“Ms Vibeke Jensen, Director of the Unesco Office in Islamabad, will be able to communicate the necessary and accurate information regarding this,” she explained.

The senior officials of the Punjab government had earlier claimed that Unesco’s WHC had allowed the government to pass the Orange Line’s track in front of the Shalamar Gardens and advised it to carry out and submit visual impact assessment of the heritage site, included in the list of world heritage sites/monuments.

On the other hand, some civil society members also termed the government’s claim contradictory to the facts.

“We believe that the government authorities concerned have misstated the facts and presented a wrong image of the WHC proceedings before the media,” reads a joint statement issued by the civil society members.

While reacting to the government’s claim, the statement said live streaming of the 40th session’s recording and transcription showed that the WHC didn’t allow Pakistan to pass the Orange Line Metro Train project’s elevated track in front of Shalamar Gardens.

It says Unesco has not yet issued a statement on its decisions during the WHC meeting in Istanbul but the provisional agenda for the session included a report and a draft decision by Unesco on the Shalamar with reference to the Orange Line train. It claims minor changes can be (and were made) to Unesco’s original findings during the WHC session.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2016