HARIPUR: Haripur district possesses some of the most significant archaeological sites from the Buddhist era and other ancient ruins but despite this cultural wealth, the area remains without a museum, and the neglect is both surprising and disappointing.

These views were expressed by senior lawyer Amjad Zaman Khan Advocate while talking to newsmen at his Utman Bagh residence here on Sunday. He said that absence of a museum was not due to any dearth of historical material but due to official apathy.

“Ironically, despite enjoying consistent political representation at both provincial and federal levels, Haripur has yet to see that influence translated into cultural infrastructure,” he said, adding the ancient artifacts were vulnerable to decay, theft, and illicit trade.

Without a fully functional museum, the discoveries are at risk of being forgotten, damaged, or removed from their rightful context, he noted.

Referring to the devolution of ministry of museums and archives to the provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendment in 2011, Zaman Advocate said that department of museums and archaeology had formally taken over charge of 16 archeological sites in Hazara division, including 11 from the Buddhist city of Taxila with two of them being on the World Heritage List. Under the devolution plan, he said, the KP’s archaeology department had taken over the property rights of a total 57 sites from across the province.

He said the famous and frequently visited sites that the KP government had taken over included Jandial Stupa, Jinan Wali Dheri, Badal Pur Stupa, Buddhist Monastery of 300BC, commonly known as Julian University, Tofkian Stupa, Mirpur Mound, Sirsukh, Piplian archeological site, Chiti archeological site, Bhirmound, and the most recent development of Bhamala Stupa.

He lamented that Mardan, Swabi, and Charsadda have operational museums despite arguably possessing fewer archaeological sites than Haripur, showing a glaring disparity in how regional heritage was valued. “It’s not just an issue of infrastructure – it is an issue of cultural justice,” he argued.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2025