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| India-Pakistan |
| Survey of encroachment blocking access to stupa ordered |
| 2019-05-20 |
| [DAWN] [DAWN] The commissioner Rawalpindi has ordered a survey and demarcation of encroached land blocking access to the ancient Buddhist stupa and monastery of Dharmarajika in Taxila. The survey has been ordered on the direction of the Lahore High Court (LHC) issued to the Punjab 1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard 2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers 3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots.... government on a petition filed by two citizens. Commissioner Joudat Ayaz on Saturday chaired a meeting which was called to resolve the blockade of access to Dharmarajika Stupa, a Unesco World Heritage Site and protected under the Antiquities Act 1975. The petitioners, retired Maj-Gen Saeed Ahmed Wahla and retired Brig Abdul Malik Khan informed the meeting that the path leading to the Buddhist Stupa and monastery, comprising Khasra No 151 of the revenue department, was protected under the Antiquities Act 1975. Keeping in view its international significance and importance, it should be protected. They pleaded that the blockade of access to the site was against national and international rules and could send a negative message to the world in general and to the Buddhist community in particular. The petitioners prayed that the private land developer be ordered to restore the path to the site to its historical shape. The land developer, Mohammad Muazzam Ali Goraya, claimed that the gate and wall were built "to protect his property against miscreants." He said no one had been or would in future be refused access to the Stupa through his property. He claimed that the employees of and visitors to the Taxila Museum were using the passage through his land without any restrictions. |
| Posted by:Fred |