LARKANA, April 6 Delay by the law department in vetting a draft of antiquities act, which is to governs functions of the newly-created provincial department of antiquities, is hindering its work and smooth functioning, according to sources in the department.

The sources said that the government had created the department to protect archaeological sites in the province but despite repeated reminders, the draft remained stuck up at the law department.

According to an estimate, there are more than 3,000 archaeological sites in Sindh and the federal department of archaeology has handed over only 129 sites to the provincial culture department following the president's orders.

The antiquities department found during a survey that a site in Saeedpur (Tando Mohammad Khan) dating back to Buddhist era had been encroached upon by an oil company, said the sources.

The survey which focused on identifying, documenting and protecting the sites found the site in ruins, said the sources.

The officials of the department reported to their high-ups that tomb of Jam Nizamuddain Samo in Makli necropolis was found locked from outside and a plate with the Samas Association written on it was found affixed nearby. Later on the curator removed the plate.

The department faces numerous administrative problems because in principle ancient sites fell under the ambit of the department of culture.

When the department of antiquities intervenes after finding damage and encroachments at the ancient sites, the departments concerned obstruct its initiatives, according to the sources.

They argue that the antiquities department does not have power to intervene because the sites are not under its authority.

The survey was aimed at compiling a national list of the antiquities to enable the departments concerned to make decisions in future about undertaking prioritised preservation and excavation of the sites, said the sources.

The department has so far completed the survey in Thatta, Badin and Hyderabad districts and will soon publish its first volume on the antiquities of Thatta.

The department was planning to print lists of antiquities in all the districts, said the sources. The exercise will help understand links among the sites, their connections with history and may serve as a tool to discover missing links of history.