Mohenjo Daro heritage being destroyed by Bilawal bhutto zardari's Sindh Festival

[INDIC]

3 months back:

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to raise funds to save Mohenjodaro!

Mohenjodaro is the most important of all Indus valley sites in India and Pakistan, pathetic to see he is destroying it.

 

[Leader]

Bilawal's 'cultural coup' threatens ancient ruins

A festival to commemorate Pakistan's cultural heritage, spearheaded by the scion of the Bhutto family, could put the ruins of one of the world's ancient civilisations at risk, experts warned Thursday.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the heir to slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, has launched a campaign to conserve the heritage of his home province of Sindh with a two-week festival due to begin on Feb 1.

Bilawal's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) suffered a heavy defeat in the 2013 general election and observers say the event, which has seen weeks of national television spots, is partly aimed at raising the 25-year-old's political profile.

But experts told AFP the festival's inaugural ceremony which is to be held on the ruins of the Mohenjodaro settlement could endanger the Unesco World Heritage site built around 2600 BCE.

Large wooden and steel scaffolding is being erected over and around the ruins, while heavy spotlights and lasers have been installed for a light show.

Farzand Masih, head of the Department of Archaeology at Punjab University, said such activity was banned under the Antiquity Act.

“You cannot even hammer a nail at an archaeological site,” he said.

“The laser and spotlights, secondly, will cause rapid decay at the site which is already exposed to many negative factors,” Masih added.

“I was invited for the ceremony by Mr Bilawal Bhutto Zardari but I don't approve of such kind of activity.”

The ruins, discovered in 1922 by British archaeologist Sir John Marshall, are 425 kilometres (265 miles) north of the port city of Karachi and are one of the largest settlements of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

“This is really a matter of great concern that we treat our precious heritage so recklessly,” said Nauman Ahmed, a professor of architecture and urban planning.

“And when we need technical or financial assistance for conservation we have to face embarrassment from the donors for such acts,” he added.

Qasim Ali Qasim, head of the Sindh Archaeology Department that is responsible for the ruins, denied any damage was being done.

“I don't think that the structure or lights would harm the site,” he said.

“I am personally overseeing the work and it is all in accordance with the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).”

Responding to the criticism, Bilawal tweeted:

inspected MD site with Director Archaeology (30yrs experience). Explained how every precaution has been taken. Remains are safe. More soon.

Sindh's High Court later agreed to hear a case filed by lawyer Qazi Ali Azhar that seeks to bar the government from building on the site.

Unless “extreme care” is taken in making arrangements for the show, the site may be damaged amd this would a “great national tragedy”, said the short order from the court's Chief Justice Syed Maqbool Baqir.

The Moenjodaro ruins are one of Pakistan's six Unesco World Heritage sites that are deemed places of special cultural significance.

But many of the country's historical sites are endangered by vandalism and urban encroachment, as well as a booming trade in illegally excavated treasures.



Bilawal's 'cultural coup' threatens ancient ruins - DAWN.COM

 

[Developereo]

Bilawal "Twitter-pehlvan" strikes again....

 

[Leader]

SHC stops setup of stage at Mohenjodaro for Sindh Festival

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has stopped the construction of the stage for the upcoming Sindh Festival at the historic site of Mohenjodaro.

A petition had been filed for SHC Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar to take suo moto notice stating that Mohenjodaro had been declared a heritage site by UNESCO and the Sindh government should not use it for political purposes.

The petition further maintained that thousands of people would attend the opening ceremony of the Sindh Festival and the site would be destroyed.

The SHC chief justice on the petition issued notices to the chief secretary, secretary heritage and advocate general Sindh to stop construction of the stage.

A stage 80 feet wide and 60 feet long was being constructed at the historic site for the opening ceremony of the Sindh Festival which will take place on February 1.

In a tweet on Thursday, PPP patron-in chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he had inspected the Mohenjodaro site with Director Archaeology. Bilawal added that he had been explained that every precaution had been taken and the remains were safe.

SHC stops setup of stage at Mohenjodaro for Sindh Festival - thenews.com.pk

After all the damage done, still back off you jahil bilawal.

 

[airmarshal]

Bilawal is a fake Bhutto. His Sind festival logo is a copy of Superman. He does not know anything about Sind as he never lived there. His PPP has been in govt in Sind forever and Sind is the most backward province of the country along with Baluchistan.

Now he is here to destroy Sind heritage to play Sind card to promote PPP dead politics. Do I need to say more!

 

[veekysingh]

Oh dear god. If it was in india ASI would have fucked the *** of whole central government and local government.

 

[pkuser2k12]

definitely not. but no one is speaking up. not even UNESCO

• Petitioning Director-General UNESCO

Save Mohenjo-Daro

1. 1. Petition by
      
      Sindh based archaeologists, historians, academia, civil society leaders, writers and intellectuals

You kind office must be knowing the fact that archaeological ruins of Mohenjo-Daro are declared as one of the greatest and precious cultural heritage of human civilization. The site by inspected by UNESCO team in 1980 and later was declared as the greatest heritage site to be preserved and protected.

The discovery of the colonial officials from the Archaeological Survey of India in 1924 when they excavated a hill on the banks of the Indus River is now known as the identity of a highly civilized, integrated, well-planned urban landscape Sindhi society.

The amazing intact large houses on grid-system roads, with their own bathrooms and drainage and sewage systems exposed the modernization of Sindhi society at this time. The recovery of a ceremonial public bath, a civic center, grain stores, a debating hall and artifacts which indicated a system of taxation, weights and measures as well as jewellery, toys and chess-like pieces which highlighted its regard for beauty and recreation further expand the existing of a great urban Sindhi society.

The tragedy is that the governments at national and provincial level have been so insensitive to preserve and respect their glorious past culture, heritage and archaeological sites. Same happened to this greatest site and it has been neglected till now. The site's clay brick walls, layer of mud, continuous salt crystals from rain and river water and other factors are destroying the bricks.

Couple of days back Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the young Pakistan People's Party leader, son of Benazir Bhutto, the late Pakistan prime minister, and former president Asif Zardari and Bhutto dynasty scion, has announced to lead an international campaign to save Mohenjo-Daro, the crumbling ruins of the world's last surviving Bronze Age city.

We appreciate his ray of hope to bring Mohenjo-Daro and Makli back to life through cultural coup and his resolve to fight against terrorism with the peaceful weapon of tourism and culture.

We would like to bring this matter to his kind notice that under the slogan of cultural coup, the organizers of the events are damaging archaeological assets, history, culture and art of Sindh province where his party's government is ruling for the last seven years. We welcome his speech to protect the secular civilization fabric of Sindhi society but unfortunately the way the show is going to happen, it is going to further destroy the already weaken ruins and structures of the site.

We are of the view that even Mr. Bilawal was not aware of the fact that what is happening to this glorious UNESCO declared, World Heritage Site of Mohenjo-Daro in the name of 'Sindh Festival'? We want to tell him that this is not promotion or celebration of culture. This is destruction. Madness. It must stop forthwith. So we, the signatories of this letter to UNESCO and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari show our concern on the ongoing engineering work in preparation of cultural show and appeal to your good office to talk to the government of Sindh to stop further digging of the site by non-technical and non-expert labor and staff.

The eye witness account suggests that the site is continuously decaying for the last two decades, raising the questions regarding the use of funds generated to save Mohenjo-Daro. Both the federal government, the previous caretaker of the site and the Sindh government, the current caretaker of the site, have also failed in the promotion of the site as a tourist spot. On the other hand a huge sum of $23 million was generated through “Save Mohenjo-Daro” international campaign jointly run by federal government and Unesco but very little is known about the usage of that money.

We a group of archaeologists, historians, academia, civil society leaders, writers and intellectuals resolved that there is an urgent need of UNESCO intervention to save the site from further destruction and disaster. Your prestigious organization with the support of international experts try to develop an intensive conservation plan to save the site and promote awareness of the amazing wonder of the ancient world that seems to have been forgotten.

We appeal you to use your good office to stop erection of stage for inauguration ceremony and ask the authorities to shift the inauguration site to some nearby ground to protect the sanctity of the site. We also appeal you to save Mohenjo-Daro and refrain from all such activities in future that can harm the precious historic site.


http://www.change.org/petitions/dir...&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

Sir share this with PDF friends by mentioning the link and one liners explaining them to sign the petition

so that petition can gain more signatures

you have large friends base here kindly mention this link to them on PDF




http://www.change.org/petitions/dir...&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition



@Jazzbot @chauvunist @RangerPK @Jzaib @Zarvan

@mafiya @Peaceful Civilian @ice_man @Side-Winder @jaibi @ajpirzada

@Spring Onion @F.O.X @forcetrip



Friends kindly go to above link and sign petition with your email

to save mohenjo daro

and kindly share with others so that they can also sign

 

[Leader]

Sir share this with PDF friends by mentioning the link and one liners explaining them to sign the petition

so that petition can gain more signatures

you have large friends base here kindly mention this link to them on PDF




http://www.change.org/petitions/dir...&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition



@Jazzbot @chauvunist @RangerPK @Jzaib @Zarvan

@mafiya @Peaceful Civilian @ice_man @Side-Winder @jaibi @ajpirzada

@Spring Onion @F.O.X @forcetrip



Friends kindly go to above link and sign petition with your email

to save mohenjo daro

and kindly share with others so that they can also sign

online petition might not be necessary now, as SHC has given stay order against holding festival in the ruins of mohenjo daro

 

[pkuser2k12]

online petition might not be necessary now, as SHC has given stay order against holding festival in the ruins of mohenjo daro

Sir they only said be careful media firstly reported it wrongly now media say that courts did not ordered to stop festival

This is my information up till now

 

[forcetrip]

Signed. People can do at least that. What happens is actually not in our hands to begin with.

 

[Leader]

Sir they only said be careful media firstly reported it wrongly now media say that courts did not ordered to stop festival

This is my information

hmm.. everyone should sign this petition then.

 

[Leader]

ایک پاگل نے ایک بہت پرانا قیمتی گلاس ٹوڑ دیا۔ کسی نے کہا اءوے یہ 3000 سال پرانا تھا۔ پاگل بولا او شکر میں سمجھا نیا تھا۔

بلاول مونجودوڑو

 

[W.11]

one hypocricy that i want to ask these so called pakistanis, when did you ever cared about moenjodaro which has been reported to crumble to the ground in less than 20 years because of the ground water level

and now all of the sudden when it is getting some attention PTI kids and all others are crying foul?

atleast appreciate that some attention has been given to our culture although its very wrong to set up the stage right in the middle of the archeological site

 

[Leader]

‮پاکستان‬ - ‭BBC Urdu‬ - ‮’آپ آثارِ قدیمہ میں ایک کِیل تک نہیں ٹھونک سکتے‘‬

’آپ آثارِ قدیمہ میں ایک کِیل تک نہیں ٹھونک سکتے‘

کھنڈرات کے اوپر اور اردگرد لکڑی اور سٹیل کی مدد سے ایک بڑا سٹیج تیار کیا جا رہا ہے

ماہرینِ آثارِ قدیمہ کا کہنا ہے کہ موئنجودڑو کے کھنڈرات میں یکم فروری کو سندھ فیسٹیول کی تقریب کے انعقاد سے یونیسکو کی جانب سے عالمی ورثہ قرار دیے جانے والی دنیا کی قدیم ترین تہذیبوں میں سے ایک کی باقیات کو نقصان پہنچنے کا خدشہ ہے۔

پیپلز پارٹی کے نوجوان سربراہ بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے حال ہی میں اپنے آبائی صوبے سندھ کی ثقافت کے تحفظ کے لیے 15 روزہ مہم چلانے کا اعلان کیا تھا جس کا آغاز یکم فروری سے ہو رہا ہے۔

موئنجودڑو میں سندھ فیسٹیول کی تیاریاں: تصاویر

اس مہم کی افتتاحی تقریب کی تیاریاں موئنجودڑو میں زور شور سے جاری ہیں اور اس کے لیے 2600 قبل مسیح میں تعمیر ہونے والے شہر کے کھنڈرات کے اوپر اور اردگرد لکڑی اور سٹیل کی مدد سے ایک بڑا سٹیج تیار کیا جا رہا ہے۔

پنجاب یونیورسٹی کے شعبۂ آثارِ قدیمہ کے سربراہ پروفیسر فرزند مسیح نے خبر رساں ادارے اے ایف پی سے بات کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ اس قسم کی سرگرمیاں ’اینٹیکوئٹی ایکٹ‘ کے تحت غیرقانونی ہیں۔

ان کا کہنا تھا کہ ’آپ آثارِ قدیمہ میں ایک کیل تک نہیں ٹھونک سکتے۔‘

انھوں نے یہ بھی کہا کہ اس تقریب میں جس لیزر اور لائٹ شو کا انعقاد کیا جا رہا ہے اسے سے ان کھنڈرات کو تیزی سے نقصان پہنچ سکتا ہے۔

پروفیسر فرزند کے مطابق انھیں بلاول بھٹو نے اس تقریب میں مدعو کیا تھا لیکن وہ ’اس قسم کے اقدامات کی منظوری نہیں دے سکتے۔‘

تعمیرات اور شہری منصوبہ بندی کے پروفیسر نعمان احمد کا کہنا ہے کہ ’یہ انتہائی تشویش کی بات ہے کہ ہماری شاندار تاریخ سے کس لاپروائی سے سلوک کیا جا رہا ہے اور وہ بھی ایسے وقت میں جب ہمیں آثارِ قدیمہ کے تحفظ کے لیے تکنیکی اور مالی مدد کی ضرورت ہے، ایسے اقدامات باعثِ شرمندگی ثابت ہوں گے۔‘

ادھر سندھ کے محکمۂ آثارِ قدیمہ کے سربراہ اور موئنجودڑو کے آثارِ قدیمہ کے نگران قاسم علی قاسم کا کہنا ہے کہ اس تقریب سے کھنڈرات کو کوئی نقصان پہنچنے کا خدشہ نہیں۔

انھوں نے کہا کہ ’میں ذاتی طور پر اس کام کی نگرانی کر رہا ہوں اور میرے خیال میں سٹیج کے ڈھانچے یا روشنیوں سے اس مقام کو کوئی نقصان نہیں پہنچے گا۔‘

موئنجودڑو کے کھنڈرات کراچی سے 425 کلومیٹر کے فاصلے پر واقع ہیں جنھیں 1922 میں برطانوی ماہرِ آثارِ قدیمہ سر جان مارشل نے دریافت کیا تھا۔ یہ شہر دریائے سندھ کی قدیم تہذیب کے بڑے شہروں میں سے ایک تھا۔


Register Complain:

SaveMohenjodaro !!

UNESCO #Pakistan

T92.51) 925 72 25;

(92.51) 925 72 23;

(92.51) 925 72 24

E-mail: pncuibd@dsl.net.pk

 

[Leader]