KARACHI: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) has withdrawn its warning about putting the Makli necropolis, a world heritage site, on its list of ‘endangered’ sites, claimed the culture ministry of Sindh in a statement on Wednesday. The site was likely to be declared ‘endangered’ by Unesco with reports about the historical necropolis crumbling fast. The original February deadline, however, was extended after active efforts to protect the site by the provincial government.

While referring to Sindh Culture Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah’s briefing to the Unesco World Heritage Committee’s 41st session at Krakow, Poland, the ministry said Mr Shah presented a master plan to the participants to assure them that all their fears about the site had been taken care of in the arrangement.

At the Unesco conference last year, the poor maintenance of the site was discussed and the then director general of the archaeology department, Qasim Ali Qasim, strongly pleaded the Sindh government’s case by spelling out reasons behind its failure to take prompt remedial measures. Thus, Unesco’s world heritage committee agreed to extend the time limit given to the custodians of the necropolis till the end of February.

Under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, all heritage sites have been devolved to the respective provincial governments.

Officials in the culture ministry said Mr Shah in his presentation at the session said three weather stations had been established at the site for weather updates.

Besides, he added, crack monitors had been installed there so that any harm to the necropolis was promptly signalled.

The minister said guards had been deployed across the necropolis, spread over 10 square kilometres, while its geophysical survey had been duly completed. Also, he said, the four-volume master plan contained all details and maps of every grave and tomb in the site.

“The global community has paid little attention to Makli despite the fact that it is part of the assets of the whole world,” Mr Shah was quoted as saying at the session.

The provincial authorities claimed the world heritage committee had expressed its satisfaction over the Sindh minister’s briefing, praised the provincial government and ‘withdrew’ its warning to put Makli on the endangered sites’ list.

The minister, in his message, greeted the people of Sindh and resolved that he would try to put more historical sites across the province on the world heritage map.

Experts said the committee’s earlier recommendations particularly highlighted the need for strategic measures to keep intact the mausoleum of Jam Nizamuddin (which is a big landmark within the necropolis) and adopting measures to prevent damage to the site in case of natural disasters.

The world heritage committee had expected from the provincial government to check encroachment of the site’s land and theft of its properties, ensure proper maintenance and preservation, protect the site by raising a boundary wall around it and take appropriate measures to stop monuments from decaying. The Sindh culture authorities claimed all such requirements had been met, or were being taken care of.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2017