Mphenjo Daro. - File Photo.

LARKANA, Feb 14: The executive board of the National Fund for Moenjodaro (NFM) decided at its second meeting here on Tuesday to develop a master plan for the preservation of the pre-historic site with the assistance of Unesco.

The plan will be presented for further deliberations and fund raising in an international symposium scheduled for December at Moenjodaro.

Sindh Culture Minister Ms Sassui Palijo who presided over the meeting told journalists the board had nominated two new members – Dr. Kaleemullah Lashari and Syed Hakim Ali Shah Bukhari – on the technical consultative committee of the NFM.

The meeting was informed that the culture department and Unesco had finalised printing of a two-year (2012-13) table calendar on Moenjodaro and re-printing of three volumes of John Marshall’s book on the archaeological site and Indus Valley Civilisation (first printed in 1931 in Britain), she said.

The board approved regularisation of services of temporary employees of the NFM and formed committees to auction scrap of defunct ground water control scheme, contracts of parking and museum fees and carry out plantation at the site and its surroundings, she said. Culture Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili said that the area’s DSP was called to apprise the board about progress on a case of theft of antique seals, which were stolen from the site’s museum in 2002.

He said the minister had directed the police officer to immediately arrest the absconding accused, ensure recovery of stolen seals and re-open the case to prosecute the thieves.

The board had also approved a strategy for the promotion of cultural tourism which included publication of pamphlets, picture postcards, posters, etc and their dissemination and holding of photographic exhibitions in Pakistan and abroad, he said.

He said that it was decided that management structure for Moenjodaro would be improved with hiring a qualified and independent project director and archaeological conservators. They would be provided requisite machinery and equipment to better preserve the site, he said.

The meeting was attended by Kozue Kay Nagata, director of Unesco, Islamabad; Qasim Ali Qasim, director of Archaeology, Sindh; Ashfaq Hussain Musavi, and others.