Archeological investigation conference begins

PESHAWAR, Nov 13 (APP): A three-day international conference on latest Archaeological investigations in Pakistan got underway at University of Peshawar. The moot is being jointly organized by the Institute of Archaeology and Social Anthropology UoP in collaboration with Higher Education Commission and Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the archeology department at Peshawar varsity. Around one hundred delegates from across Pakistan, Malaysia and Central Asia are participating in the event. High Commissioner of Malaysia Dr. Hasrul Sani Mujtabar was the chief guest of the inaugural ceremony. Addressing the audience he said Pakistan is endowed with rich archaeological and cultural heritage which if explored and utilized to its optimum potential can change the fortune of this country. He added: “I have numerous meetings with the people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government yesterday, in which my sole interest was to invest in the education sector of Pakistan. This is because education is more important to us than trade for development of a country.” Quoting his country example he opined, we brought enormous reforms in the education sector of our own country and the instant results are in front of you. Director Archeology and Museum Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prof. Dr. Shah Nazar Khan said the ministry of tourism is expediting work on the concept of composite tourism. He added that after the 18th Constitutional Amendment preservation and promotion of cultural heritage has devolved to provinces which call for more responsibilities by the provincial government. Presently we have identified excavation in ninety one Archeological sites in KP. The government is also working hard for promoting adventure and religious tourism, he informed. Prof. Dr. Qibla Ayaz said that unfortunately we have not unfolded the latent   richness which this part of country has offered. He added that Asia is the future of the World’s development and we need to harness our untapped resources for prosperity. Prof. Dr. Qibla Ayaz said that University of Peshawar is offering full cooperation to the students of Malaysia in order to enroll maximum number of them in our departments and hoped to continue with collaborations and students exchange programs with Malaysian Universities in future. Life time achievement awards were given to Late Prof. Dr. Farzand Ali Durrani, Prof. Fidaullah Sehrai, Prof. Dr. Taj Ali, Prof. Hamid Ali and others. Special tributes were paid to the father of Archaeology in Pakistan Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hassan Dani at the inaugural session.]]>