Latest discoveries by the archaeologists have opened new chapters in the history of the ancient Taxila Valley Civilisation
Pakistan’s North province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has unveiled the remains of a 2300-year-old sleeping Buddha image in district Haripur.
Provincial government has started a historic initiative to encourage tourism and project religious harmony in a region roiled by Islamist militancy.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Archaeology And Museums Director Dr Abdul Samad said 500 Buddha-related objects during excavations along with 48-feet long sleeping Buddha statue dates back to the third century, which makes it the world’s oldest ‘sleeping Buddha’ statue.
Dr Abdul Samad further said that the region was once the center of Buddhist civilization that took root under the Mauryan king Ashoka 2,300 years ago.
This is one of the few sites in the world to have the cruciform Stupa, which was reserved for Buddha himself.
He further added Pakistan has a great ancient history as it contains good share of treasures, one of the noticeable of these being the historical metropolis of Taxila and its is a place of the Gandharan civilization, whose history can be drawn from microlithic societies at the Khanpur caves up to almost 1000 CE.
A reflection of the diverse history and culture of the country, the ancient Buddhist site in Bhamala, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was first discovered in 1929.
Imran Khan chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party along with the members of the media, visited on during the unveiling ceremony of the Buddhist-period archaeological site near Haripur.
Imran Khan has stressed dialogue with Islamist hardliners including the Taliban but on Wednesday said the preservation of sites like Bhamala could promote religious tourism.
Chairman PTI further said it’s a world heritage site (and) because of it people can come for religious tourism and see these places.
Earlier In January, then Ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the restoration of Hindu temples at Katas Raj in Punjab province.