MARDAN, Aug 13: Two new archaeological sites of Gandhara and Hindu-Shahi civilizations have been discovered at Hunza and Dir districts. An archaeologist Usman Mardanwi said he had gone to Hunza three weeks ago with foreign tourists where he found the remains and engravings of ancient civilization at the Pasoo village in Khurramabad.

He said two small sculptures of Buddha with damaged faces were also discovered from the area, but their bodies were in nice condition.

He said a crematorium and a graveyard of Buddhists were also discovered.

Mr Mardanwi expressed the fear that the remains of the ancient civilization would be destroyed if steps were not taken to preserve those.

Meanwhile, a curator of Chakdara Museum, Dir district, Zainul Wahab, claimed that a site of Hindu-Shahi period had been discovered at Rani on Chitral-Dir road.

He added that the site covered over 100 kanals.