Unesco flags Rohtas Fort restoration concerns

Unesco has raised concerns over ongoing restoration work at Rohtas Fort, adding another heritage site in Pakistan to its scrutiny of conservation practices. According to information in the feed, the UN cultural agency objected to certain interventions at the historic fort after a team visited the site on Tuesday and reviewed work reportedly linked to the Punjab Directorate General of Archaeology and Museums. The concern was triggered after Unesco received information from a third party about restoration activity at the World Heritage property. Officials involved in the process said the agency wanted to inspect the project and gather material for a report to the World Heritage Centre. The central issue, as described in the feed, is whether the work complies with Unesco’s approved conservation standards. Rohtas Fort is already protected as a World Heritage site, which means any changes to its structure or fabric are expected to follow strict international guidelines. That makes even well-intended repair work sensitive. In heritage conservation, the difference between stabilising a monument and altering its original character can be narrow, and global bodies often warn governments when modern reconstruction begins to overwhelm historic material. This is not the first time Unesco has taken issue with Punjab’s handling of major heritage sites. Last month, the agency cautioned the Pakistan government over reconstruction work at Taxila’s Mohra Moradu and Sirkap. In that case, according to the feed, Unesco found ancient stone walls had been covered with fresh masonry and some structures had been raised artificially, creating a visible mismatch with the original remains. The agency then asked Pakistan to undo the changes and provide detailed documentation, including before-and-after photographs. The latest concern over Rohtas Fort suggests Unesco is keeping a close watch on how restoration is being carried out at some of Pakistan’s most important archaeological sites. For the government, that means the stakes are not only technical but reputational: repeated objections can raise questions about whether conservation work is being guided by international best practice. It is not clear from the feed what specific changes Unesco objected to at Rohtas Fort, how extensive the work is, or whether any corrective action has been ordered yet. Those details will matter. If the agency concludes that the interventions have affected the site’s outstanding universal value, the implications could extend beyond a warning and into formal heritage review processes. For now, the episode underscores a familiar challenge in South Asia’s heritage management: balancing repair and preservation without crossing into reconstruction that changes the historical record. At sites like Rohtas Fort, that balance is especially important because the original material itself is part of the monument’s value. Officials in Pakistan will now be expected to respond to Unesco’s concerns and clarify how the work was approved and supervised. Until that happens, the key question remains whether the restoration can be brought back in line with conservation standards without further harm to the site.

Source: Dawn Pakistan - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017657/rohtas-fort-restoration-works-on-unesco-radar