Karachi, 23 Jan 2024 (WAI): U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Bloom, alongside Caretaker Chief Minister Ali Mardan Khan Domki, launched Balochistan’s first-ever Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). In his commencement, Ambassador Bloom said, “We are very proud to partner with Pakistan to preserve historical sites that reflect this country’s rich cultural heritage and religious diversity.”
The inaugural ceremony was attended by U.S. Consul General Karachi Conrad Tribble, officials from the Government of Balochistan Culture Department, and Sindh Exploration and Adventure Society (SEAS) co-founders Dr. Kaleem Ullah Lashari and Dr. Asma Ibrahim.
The AFCP project, supporting over 1,100 projects across 133 countries since 2001, would strengthen United States relations with Pakistan on cultural fronts. The project, through a sum totaling $ 8 million, aims to restore 33 historical sites across Pakistan. This includes Mosques, Buddhist and Sufi shrines, and relics of the Mughal Empire, which flourished between the 16th and mid-19th centuries.
Under this landmark initiative, a grant of over $320,000 was allocated for the Mehrgarh Museum of Balochistan in Quetta. The Mehrgarh Museum of Balochistan, established in September 2022, showcases the region’s pre- and early history. It contains Artifacts from the Mehrgarh civilization – the earliest known agricultural civilization in South Asia.
These artifacts are recognized and displayed in museums worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Musée Guimet in Paris, highlighting Pakistan’s global archaeological and cultural significance.
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Baluchistan’s Ministry of Culture and Sindh Adventure and Exploration Society (SEAS) will collaborate in implementing the project. The allocated amount will support efforts to preserve the cultural landscape and other archaeological artifacts of the Mehrgarh civilization.
In addition, it will enhance the museum’s existing displays and strengthen the community outreach skills. Furthermore, it will be used to provide professional development training for the Balochistan Directorate of Archaeology staff.
