The controversial Rs 450 million Sindh Festival, being held at the ancient Mohenjodaro heritage site in southeast Pakistan, opened today amid fears among archaeologists that it could damage the ruins.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) that rules Sindh, is organising the high-profile event at Mohenjodaro, where one of the largest settlements of the Indus Valley civilisation existed almost 5,000 years ago.
"This evening, the entire world will be sent a message that we are capable of taking care of our own heritage," said Saqib Ahmed Soomro, secretary of the Sindh government's Culture Department.
The opening of the 15-day event was attended by Bilawal, his sister Bakhtawar, former prime ministers Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf, several lawmakers and diplomats, and members of foreign media organisations.
The festival drew criticism when archaeologists raised fears that the stage and other event infrastructure could damage the delicate mud ruins at the UNESCO World Heritage site known as the world's oldest planned urban settlement.
In an interview to Newsweek Pakistan, Bilawal said the budget for the event was Rs 450 million.
"The broad aim of the festival is to preserve, promote, and protect our cultural heritage, which is also under threat. The festival is also a process where we hope to help fight for the societal space that has been ceded to the extremists," he said.
Mohenjodaro, listed among UNESCO's world heritage sites, was built from unbaked brick in the 3rd millennium BC.
Excavations since 1922 have uncovered only one-third of the site. A UNESCO campaign ending in 1997 raised money to protect the site from flooding and to control the groundwater table.
