Govt. takes steps to preserve Islamic, cultural, historical heritage sites: Shafqat Mahmood

ISLAMABAD, Apr 4 (APP):Federal Minister for National History and Literary Heritage Division Shafqat Mahmood Thursday vowed taking all possible steps to preserve all Islamic, cultural and historical heritage sites of the country.

Addressing a two-day international conference on Kashmir history, culture and heritage, he said, “The data has been collected from all Islamic, cultural and historical sites and all such sites will be preserved for the future generation and to attract international tourists.”

The minister stressed taking practical steps for the protection of Islamic heritage in the Islamic countries.

He said that many priceless Islamic historical heritage artifacts had been stolen or taken away from Islamic countries.

“This is very big challenge and we has to meet it, we has to do every thing to protect our Islamic historical heritage.”

The Minister also said that many Islamic heritage sites in the world had been destroyed by the vested interests.

He said, Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir had various historical sites to attract local and foreign tourists. Azad Jammu Kashmir beautiful wooden masques had been attracting tourists from inside and outside the Kashmir.

The minister said that shrines in Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir had also been attracting local and foreign tourist.

Shafqat Mahmood said that people of Pakistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir were bound through historical and cultural linkages.

He said that in Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) the brutal regime had killed thousands of innocent Kashmiris.

“The Indian occupied forces is committing atrocities to suppress the freedom struggle initiated by the Kashmiris, but they have failed in it “.