Press Release Daily Times, Monday April 24, 2006

‘Pakistan should cash in on rich heritage’
ROHTAS FORT: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, while addressing the third annual light and sound show at Rohtas Fort on Saturday, said that it was time for Pakistan to properly showcase its rich heritage and cultural history to the world to attract tourists. Aziz said the government would do all that was necessary to speed up development work on the 450-year-old fort, which is undergoing extensive restoration.

The Rohtas Fort built on the orders of Emperor Sher Shah Suri in 1541 and completed after his death has been in ruins and the surviving portions of the fort are now being restored by Shell Pakistan at a cost of Rs 27.2 million. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said that after the restoration work, the 16th century fort would be an asset to the nation and an addition to its historical treasures. The prime minister also referred to the many Buddhist sites such as the captivating mountains in the Northern Areas and Moenjodharo that had the potential to attract thousands of tourists and strengthen the national economy. “Lets package, what we have, and show it to the world,” he said.

The prime minister appreciated the efforts of Shell Pakistan, Himalayan Conservation Foundation and Norwegian government in the conservation of the fort and said that such public-private partnerships could go a long way in supporting similar projects across the country. Rohtas is now a protected monument under the Antiquities Act 1975, and maintained by the Department of Archaeology.

The prime minister also inaugurated the Sher Shah Museum, which contains an extensive display of swords, books, household pottery and utensils dating back to the Mughal era. Dr Anisur Rehman, head of the Himalayan Conservation Foundation said the conservation project included improving facilities for the visitors and creating awareness among the locals. He briefed the prime minister on the project, which included providing facilities such as information centre, restaurants and toilets for visitors to Rohtas Fort.

Farooq Rahmatullah, the chairman of Shell companies in Pakistan, said the project was aimed at preserving national heritage to attract more tourists to the country. He said that as part of its social development projects, Shell had signed a partnership with UN’s Development Programme worth $600,000 to prevent deforestation in Galliyat, by providing alternative Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG). He said Shell Pakistan was also working on conserving historical monuments of the country including the Mohatta Palace and the Bibi Jawandi Tomb in Uch. He called for a collective effort from society as well as the government, NGOs and media to make a conscious contribution towards the restoration process. “We believe that the legacies of the past not only inspire us but that their preservation is a responsibility we owe to our future generations.” The highlight of the event was a musical extravaganza titled ‘The voice of Rohtas Fort’, which was directed by Dr Uxi Mufti. The show was a recount of how the massive sand stone structure was built amidst palatial intrigues, wars and romance. APP