SAHIWAL: Illegal commercial digging has been allegedly going on at the Tibba Bhawani for past four months, posing a threat to the ancient mound of archaeological importance, located on the left side of the river Ravi, around 14km north of Sahiwal city.

A landlord, Ahmed Raza Sherazi, is using heavy machinery for digging the mound. Dawn has learnt from sources that labourers employed by Mr Sherazi have taken away earth from two acre land, damaging Tibba Bhawani up to 10 foot of its height. The mound is spread over more than 7 acres, having the maximum height of about 55 feet from the ground. Five acres of the mound land fall within category of the state land called ‘shamlaat’ while two acres are owned by Mr Sherazi.

Mr Hasan of Harappa Museum says the pieces of pottery and other antiques like old bricks, bangles, earthen toys, coins etc have been found in the area belonging to 5th century BC. Sir Alexander Cunningham, a British archaeologist, who explored Harappa ruins in 1854, was the first to visit the place.

Mr Hasan says though the mound is not protected under the Ancient Antiquity Act 1921 (Amended 2012), it is still situated at a private land having archaeological and historical value.

This is not the first time that the mound land is being dug. In 2013, at the time of construction of Qutab Shahna Bridge over the river Ravi, there were public complaints that a sub-contractor was digging the mound mud that was sold by Mr Sherazi.

After the matter was reported in the media the then Superintending Engineer Highways, Rana Basharat, stopped the sub-contractor to dig the mound.

This time Mr Sherazi is allegedly using the mud to construct a petrol pump and Commercial Plaza near Bahadar Shah on the Sahiwal–Faisalabad Road.

Ahmed Raza Sherazi while talking to Dawn claims he own 13 acres land at the site and two acres of the Tibba Bhawani are his personal land. He denied taking mud from the mound land. He says that if archeological department has anything to do with the mound, it must buy the land owned by the people.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2019