HYDERABAD, June 2: Sindh Culture Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili on Saturday asked the district administration to take immediate action against land-grabbers, who had dismantled old graves built with carved stone in the premises of Makli graveyard and erected illegal structures.

Reacting to anti-encroachment squad’s action on Friday, he said the administration must take all precautionary measures to stop this encroachment now and ensure the same for future as well.

Provincial Culture Department had taken notice of this illegal construction and formed a committee of experts headed by director Qasim Ali Qasim to probe the matter and propose future strategy for the protection of archaeological heritage, including Makli graveyard.

He said that a survey carried out by a team of archaeology department had revealed that although area of Makhdoom Hashim Thattvi graveyard did not fall into protected heritage but the team recommended its protection and confiscated valuable stone and documented visual record of vandalised graves at the site.