Pakistan is poised to become the first South Asian country to ratify the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH), a move that signifies a major commitment to preserving its submerged maritime history. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced this development during a Friday meeting with UNESCO representative Dr. Cristina Menegazzi in Islamabad. The discussions centered on joint initiatives to record, conserve, and showcase Pakistan’s abundant underwater archaeological treasures.
Minister Chaudhry affirmed Pakistan’s dedication to safeguarding its maritime cultural legacy. Ratifying the 2001 Convention, he stated, will establish Pakistan as a regional frontrunner in underwater cultural heritage protection and amplify its influence on global platforms addressing climate action and cultural preservation.
Maritime archaeology, a specialized field exploring the human-water relationship through historical relics, is gaining traction in coastal countries with substantial nautical pasts. For Pakistan, this encompasses shipwrecks, underwater landscapes, ancient maritime facilities like docks and lighthouses, and historical trade pathways along the Arabian Sea.
The minister stressed the administration’s emphasis on environmentally sound exploration. He stated that any scientific endeavors in maritime archaeology must respect and safeguard marine environments. Non-intrusive methods such as remote sensing, diver observations, and photogrammetry will be prioritized, with excavations conducted only under stringent scientific protocols.
In efforts to conserve both underwater and coastal legacy, Chaudhry also sought UNESCO’s support in registering historical maritime structures in Karachi. These include structures over 70 years old under the Maritime Affairs Ministry’s purview, such as the Marine Fisheries Department and the notable Marine Lighthouse. The minister suggested establishing a maritime history museum to exhibit this coastal patrimony.
Chaudhry highlighted UNESCO’s extensive digital records and marine archaeological information from around the world, expressing Pakistan’s desire for collaborative scientific investigation and mapping of its largely uncharted underwater cultural heritage.
The minister emphasized that Pakistan’s involvement in this area will not only showcase its cultural riches but also align with international climate action. Submerged archaeological locations, he noted, act as crucial indicators of past sea levels and climate conditions, providing understanding of the environmental transformations impacting coastal populations currently.
Dr. Menegazzi embraced Pakistan’s commitment to global underwater heritage conservation, expressing UNESCO’s readiness to bolster technical and scientific collaboration in this domain.