Global Advocacy for Heritage of Sindh

Advocating World Heritage Status for Ranikot Fort and Karoonjhar Mountains

• Ranikot fort and Karoonjhar Mountain are not merely local treasures but invaluable assets of global cultural and archaeological heritage

Quratul Ain Kareem

Pakistan is home to an array of historically significant and archaeologically rich sites, many of which remain underrepresented on the global stage. While the country boasts six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, several others equally deserving still await recognition. Among these, Ranikot Fort and the Karoonjhar Mountains stand as monumental examples of cultural, historical, and archaeological significance. Their inclusion in the World Heritage list would not only support Pakistan’s global cultural standing but also ensure their preservation for future generations.

In early 2021, the Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered an expert committee to evaluate Karoonjhar’s heritage status and invite UNESCO to examine it under both Pakistan’s Ancient Monuments Preservation Act (1904) and the Sindh Cultural Heritage Preservation Act.

By July 2024, the Sindh cabinet formally declared the Karoonjhar range as a cultural and heritage site as well as a wildlife and Ramsar sanctuary prohibiting mining within most of the range, while designating 3.6 km² at Khasar for limited granite extraction after environmental approvals.

On September 26, 2024, the SHC reaffirmed that the entire Karoonjhar range (including all 109 hills) is a single protected monument, reinforcing that any attempt to fragment it for excavation violates its heritage status and “shall be treated as contempt of court”.

While, in case of Ranikot fort it’s not under direct judicial protection, it’s recognized as a heritage site and is protected under the antiquities act of 1975. It’s also in the UNESCO tentative list. The forts inclusion on the UNESCO tentative list since 1993 signifies its potential to be recognized as a world heritage, which would further elevate its status and protection.

However, Ranikot fort and Karoonjhar Mountain are not merely local treasures but invaluable assets of global cultural and archaeological heritage. Elevating their status to UNESCO world heritage sites would mark a significant step toward international recognition, sustainable preservation, and cultural diplomacy. It is time for Pakistan to highlight the unique historical narrative embedded in these majestic sites and place them on the world map where they rightfully belong.

Thus, to achieve the goal of world heritage status for Ranikot fort and Karoonjhar Mountain, national authorities shall take immediate urgent action to remind UNESCO and UNESCO’s formal nomination process should be initiated urgently, backed by comprehensive archaeological documentation, conservation planning and full community involvement to showcase Karoonjhar and Ranikot’s Universal value.

Read: Karoonjhar Mountain: Sindh Cabinet designates an area for granite mining

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Quratulain Kareem is Teaching Assistant at Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Sindh.