THATTA, Dec 16: Speakers at a seminar on 'Khirthar - the cradle of Indus civilization' have underlined the need for development of mountainous resorts in the area to create job opportunities for unemployed youth of Sindh.

The seminar was organized by the People's Doctors Forum at the Keenjhar Lake. Speaking on the occasion, the Sindh president of the PDF, Dr Karim Khwaja, said Khirthar mountainous range stretched over 300 kilometres far and wide in the west of Sindh.

He said that exploitation of mineral resources and setting up of resorts would open enormous avenues of livelihood for unemployed youth. Dr Ismail Palijo, Dr Razzaq Shaikh, Dr Hakim Khushik, Dr Hari Shankar, Aijaz Ali and Rehana Leghari said caves, rock shelters along streams, natural springs and waterfalls in the Khirthar mountainous region had remained abode of people since time immemorial.

They said rock carving in the area was testimony that how troglodytes developed themselves as Homo sapiens. They said it were these Khirthar people who later settled along the banks of Indus River and founded the Indus Valley Civilization.

They said flint factories in the Rohri hills and the site 101 in Thatta district indicated early evolution of human civilization in Sindh. They said the Khirthar provided great mineral wealth to Sindh such as petroleum, marble, coal, gypsum, limestone and uranium.

They said the Khirthar area was the greatest supplier of meat after Thar and Kachho belt of the Indus River. The pointed out that Kuti-Ji-Qabar peak (7,200 feet above sea level) in Kambar district and Gorakh peak (6,568 feet above sea level) in Dadu district, Runikot, the biggest pre-historic stone fort in the world were situated in this area.

They said that tourism as an industry was yet to be developed in this fascinating region. Panoramic valleys, enchanting oases, natural springs, steep passes and nature's artistic stone formations, beauty of Khirthar are spectacular.

They demanded payment of royalty on gas, petroleum and other minerals being tapped from the Khirthar range. They demanded that jobs be given to local people in national and multinational oil and mineral companies. They said Khirthar people be given easy loans for development of their handicraft and other cottage industry and education and health facilities.