ISLAMABAD: Secretary Tourism Punjab Capt (R) Mushtaq Ahmad Khan has said that government is committed to protect and promote the diverse cultural heritage of Punjab province.
Addressing the participants at the panel discussion at five-day Gandhara festival organized by UNESCO under the Punjab Tourism for Economic Growth Project (PTEGP), funded by the World Bank, he thanked UNESCO for organizing the Gandhara festival which is first of its kind ever to be held at the Taxila museum. He said that such events inculcate a sense of ownership and pride of our history in the local community and project a peaceful image of Pakistan to the world.
The panel discussion was chaired by Secretary Punjab Tourism. Other speakers were included Prof. Dr. Saifur Rehman Dar, Dr. Muhammad Hameed from Punjab University and Dr. Zubaida Yousuf, Assistant Curator Peshawar Museum.
The session began with keynote address by Dr. Saifur Rehman Dar who spoke on his topic “Gandhara heritage versus Taxila heritage”.
During the discussion, he stressed that Taxila should be given importance
as center of Gandhara civilization.
Dr. Hameed presented his research on “understanding the diffusion of diffusion of Buddhist art and iconography towards Central and Eastern Asia through miniature portable shrine from Gandhara”.
The fourth day of Gandhara Festival showed increased public interest in the exhibition. Dozens of foreign students studying in Pakistan also visited Taxila Museum and Gandhara Festival. They all were excited to see the exhibition. They also met the Buddhist monks from Sindh who are staying in Taxila to attend the entire event. UNESCO’S Implementing Partner, Center for Culture and Development acknowledged participation of Pakistani Buddhists as they came all the way from Sindh to become part of this festival.
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