ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will nominate five culturally and historically significant sites for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Friday, in a bid to preserve the country’s rich archaeological legacy and promote global recognition of its heritage landscape.
The proposed sites include the ancient Karez water management system in Balochistan, the Mughal-era Hiran Minar in Punjab, the Buddhist ruins of Ranigat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and two prominent locations in Sindh, the historic Port of Banbhore and the Nagarparkar cultural landscape.
“If accepted, these nominations would raise Pakistan’s total number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites from six to eleven, marking a significant milestone in cultural preservation and heritage tourism,” the report said.
Pakistan currently has six UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These include Mohenjo Daro and the Makli necropolis in Sindh; Taxila, Rohtas Fort, and the Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore in Punjab; and the Buddhist monastic complex at Takht-i-Bahi along with the remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The nomination of the five new sites aligns with Pakistan’s broader efforts to highlight its pre-Islamic and Islamic-era heritage, attract cultural tourism, and strengthen international partnerships in heritage conservation. Many of the proposed sites reflect architectural, hydrological or religious traditions that span centuries, from Buddhist Gandharan ruins to sophisticated ancient irrigation systems.
If approved, the addition of the Karez system, an underground aqueduct irrigation technique still in use in some parts of Balochistan, would represent the first such nomination from Pakistan in the category of traditional water management.
Similarly, the inclusion of the 16th-century Hiran Minar complex near Sheikhupura would highlight Mughal-era hunting lodges and water structures not yet recognized internationally.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee reviews nominations annually based on criteria such as historical value, cultural significance and preservation status.
