Historic Caves Preservation Project Inaugurated
ISLAMABAD: Senior PML-N leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday inaugurated the Shah Allah Ditta Buddha Caves Preservation Project, a step towards preserving and promoting Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage and shared cultural history.
After the inauguration, he toured the historic caves. Secretary National Heritage and Culture Division Asad Rehman Gillani briefed him on the completed project, its main features and its overall cost. A documentary on the historical and archaeological significance of the site was screened at the ceremony. It highlighted the caves’ links to Buddhist worship and the region’s cultural legacy.
Addressing the gathering, Hamza Shahbaz praised the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture for its efforts to restore the site. He described the location, with its green trees and mountains, as a beautiful setting and commended the initiative to safeguard an important part of the country’s heritage. He said Islam teaches respect for other religions, protection of minority rights and safety for their places of worship.
He said the project would help present a positive and soft image of Pakistan internationally and turn the site into an attractive destination for visitors. He also stressed the need for better road connectivity to the caves and asked Federal Minister Aurangzeb Khan Khichi to take up the matter with the relevant authorities and pursue a better, more direct access road. According to him, improved access would help visitors, boost local tourism and create jobs and economic opportunities for nearby communities.
Welcoming the growing commercial activity in the area, he said people deserve recreational spaces where families can spend quality time amid historical and natural beauty. He invited diplomats and visitors, especially from Buddhist countries, to visit the site with their families, and hoped it would become a symbol of mutual respect, religious harmony and shared heritage. He also prayed for Pakistan’s progress, prosperity and peace.
Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi thanked Hamza Shahbaz for inaugurating the project and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the country’s Buddhist heritage. He urged the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) and the media to raise awareness of the caves’ historical and religious importance and to promote the site to domestic and international visitors, particularly from Buddhist countries.
Assuring the diplomats present, the minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the government was committed to preserving all Buddhist heritage sites across Pakistan. He added that such initiatives would strengthen cultural diplomacy, promote interfaith harmony and improve Pakistan’s image abroad.
The ceremony was attended by Federal Minister Rana Mubashar, MNA Anjam Aqeel Khan, former Deputy Mayor Islamabad Syed Zeeshan Shah, SAPMs Aon Chaudhary and Talha Barki, senior government officials, diplomats from Buddhist countries and other guests. At the end of the ceremony, Syed Zeeshan Shah presented a souvenir to Hamza Shahbaz as a token of appreciation.
