Islamabad: April 22, 2021 (TNS): The delegation of Sri Lankan Buddhist monks visited different Buddhist sites in Taxila and Haripur on Thursday.
These sites include archaeological site Sirkap, world heritage site at Julian and Bhamala site close to Khanpur Dam.
The delegation was given detailed briefing about the historical importance of these sites.
Talking to our correspondent Haider Baloch, a member of the delegation Dr Assaji Thero said Taxila is one of the great places for the tourists to visit as it has a rich cultural and historical heritage.
He said the relics at this place show how the followers of different religions including Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity lived together with harmony.
He said as a Buddhist place, we will highly encourage our people to come to Pakistan and visit Taxila from where they can get vast knowledge about the mix of cultures.
In his interaction, Director Archeology and Museums Khybder Pakhtunkhwa Dr Abdul Samad said Julian site was given status of world heritage in 1980 and one of the earliest universities in world was established here and it was also city of knowledge globally.
He said the federal and provincial governments are jointly promoting unexplored sites of the province to highlight the real image of Pakistan internationally and to generate revenue.
He said Pakistan has huge potential in different types of tourism and religious tourism in particular. He said dozens of religious sites are open for visitors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
He said the visit of Sri Lankan Buddhist monks will be helpful in promoting religious tourism in the country.
The delegation was briefed at Bhamala that Sir John Marshall, who was Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India from 1902 to 1928 excavated this site in 1930-31.
It was briefed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government carried out further field excavations and investigations at Bhamala from 2014 to 2016.
The most remarkable discovery made these excavations was a fourteen meter long relining Buddha made of dressed block of ‘kanjur’ stone.
The visiting monks appreciated hospitality of Pakistani people and expressed gratitude for their welcoming gesture.
