TAXILA, Jan 18: Local and foreign tourists have complained about the construction of a wall, by a private developer, around an ancient site declared by UNESCO as part of world cultural heritage, in 1984. Even the Pakistani government had notified the site as protected, under the Antiquities Act of 1975.

It is important to mention that Section 22 of Antiquities Act 1975 prohibits any structure or construction within 200 feet of protected sites.

The site houses Dharmarajika Stupa, which is one of the eight shrines constructed in the 3rd century BC, during the reign of Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty.

Local and foreign tourists have called upon UNESCO and federal as well as provincial governments to take stock of the construction of the wall around the Stupa and the monastery.

Vjwal Prodhar, a tourist from Nepal said that he was stunned to see that a wall had been erected around the Buddhist site.

While Sukan Yacha, a tourist from Thailand expressed grief over restricting the entry of tourists at the Buddhist site.

Yacha said that the site had great religious importance for the followers of Buddhism and such an act had hurt sentiments of the community.

Akongi, a tourist from Japan said that it does not look like a world heritage site. The Japanese tourist said that the act hurt the feelings of Buddhists.

However, deputy director department of archaeology Irshad Hussain said that the matter had been brought in the notice of the local administration and the revenue department and the issue would be resolved, after demarcation of land.