THE federal government has transferred the administrative control of 130 archaeological sites in Sindh to the provincial government. Given that the Sindh government had been lobbying for this move since coming into power, the province’s areas of historical significance may now receive the attention they deserve. These sites remained under the purview of the federal government’s archaeological department after being declared protected heritage under the 1975 Antiquities Act. In Punjab, the provincial government was given control of Lahore’s Shahi Fort and Shalimar Gardens some years ago. Now that the transfer has been effected in Sindh, the provincial minister for culture and tourism, Sassui Palijo, has announced that Rs1bn have been earmarked for the improvement of archaeological sites. This is a worthy move, for the degradation of Sindh’s archaeological sites can be linked to the paucity of funds and administrative will at the federal level. However, the provincial government must remain wary of falling into similar traps. There is no dearth of projects that were initiated with great hoopla but that fell slowly by the wayside as holders of public office changed, financial and bureaucratic corruption set in and interest waned.

It would be sad indeed if this pattern is repeated. The geographical area falling under Sindh has a large number of sites of historical and archaeological significance. Some of them, such as Moenjodaro, are the remains of the earliest urban settlements known to man. Others constitute potential mines of information about communities that once flourished but have now vanished or been reduced to marginalised minorities. Despite this cultural wealth, however, only 130 sites in Sindh have been registered as archaeological sites since 1904. Many more remain in need of attention. Ms Palijo has promised a comprehensive survey to identify locations for exploration and preservation. If her government manages to make good on its promise, Sindh will have the opportunity to not only attract visitors ranging from tourists to archaeologists and anthropologists, but also make a significant contribution to the world body of knowledge about this region.