Preserving Taxila

TAXILA is far more than a collection of ancient ruins. It is one of South Asia’s greatest archaeological landscapes and a testament to the civilisations that flourished here. Among its finest monuments are Mohra Moradu, one of the best-preserved Buddhist monasteries of Gandhara, and Sirkap, an ancient city whose grid layout and monuments reflect an extraordinary blend of Greek, Persian and South Asian influences. Their value lies in both their age and authenticity — a quality that earned Taxila Unesco World Heritage status. That authenticity is now under scrutiny. Unesco reportedly believes recent work at the two sites went beyond conservation into reconstruction, with original walls allegedly replaced or raised through modern masonry. It has warned that failure to reverse damaging interventions could place Taxila on the List of World Heritage in Danger with the risk of eventual delisting. The Punjab archaeology department rejects this view, saying the works are conservation measures meant to stabilise vulnerable remains and prevent further deterioration. Without an independent technical assessment, it would be premature to endorse either position. Yet Unesco’s request for heritage impact assessments, compatibility studies, laboratory tests, drawings and before-and-after documentation suggests its concerns are substantive.

Pakistan should treat the matter with urgency and humility. Placement on the danger list would be a serious embarrassment, while delisting would be a cultural and diplomatic disaster, especially when the country is seeking recognition for other historic sites. Conservation is not the beautification of ruins. It is the careful preservation of original fabric, with new work kept minimal, documented and reversible. The government should share all records with Unesco, pause further work, invite independent conservation experts to inspect the sites, and reverse any intervention found to have damaged authenticity. Taxila’s past cannot be rebuilt once it has been overwritten. Protecting it is not a favour to Unesco, but a duty to Pakistan’s own history.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2026

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