Pakistan asks Unesco to add Rani Ghat and Banbhore to heritage list

Pakistan is seeking Unesco support to move two archaeological sites, Rani Ghat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Port of Banbhore in Sindh, toward the World Heritage List.

The request came during a meeting in Islamabad between Fuad Pashayev, Unesco’s representative in Pakistan, and Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, the federal minister for National Heritage and Culture. Both sites already appear on Pakistan’s tentative list, which the World Heritage Centre currently records as containing 37 properties.

A visit by the World Heritage Committee to Banbhore was expected from Sept. 6 to 11. The meeting also turned to Pakistan’s culinary traditions. Khichi asked Unesco to help include four foods and food traditions in the Intangible Cultural Heritage framework: Makai Roti and Saag from Punjab, Balochi Sajji, Sindhi Biryani and Chapli Kebab from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Separately, Imran Shaukat, coordinator of the prime minister’s task force on Gandhara, said Pakistan planned to expand Gandhara exhibitions overseas and establish dedicated “Gandhara Corners” to present the country’s Buddhist heritage.

The task force was also considering allocating five to 10 acres around selected Gandhara sites for Buddhist schools and institutions to establish research and meditation centers. An international Gandhara conference was scheduled for November, with delegations from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka expected to visit Pakistan in October and November.