PA demands retaining Mohenjodaro’s image on banknotes

The Provincial Assembly of Sindh on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the federal government and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to ensure that the new currency notes to be issued in the country contain the images of Mohenjodaro as an important icon of Pakistan’s historical and cultural heritage.

The resolution was moved in the PA by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmaker Muhammad Rashid Khan. The resolution states that Mohenjodaro is an important part of Pakistan’s ancient heritage.

It calls upon the Centre and the SBP to ensure the presence of the images of Mohenjodaro and Pakistan’s other historical sites on the banknotes. “The removal of these images is tantamount to ignoring our historical heritage, as these icons represent our national identity and cultural pride.”

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar supported the resolution, saying that Mohenjodaro was one of the oldest civilisations in the world.

He said that ignoring the historical heritage sites in the country in such a manner is not advisable because then the coming generations would never learn about these archaeological wonders. The House should unanimously demand the Centre to retain Mohenjodaro’s image on Pakistani banknotes, he added.

Education and Mines & Mineral Development Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah said that by moving the resolution before the legislature, Khan has proved that he is genuinely a son of the soil from Sindh.

Shah said museums and art galleries have been built all over the world to preserve cultural and historical heritage, but in Pakistan a threat has emerged.

He lamented that the image of the world-renowned archaeological site in the country would be removed from banknotes. He appealed to the Centre to retain Mohenjo Daro’s image on Pakistani currency notes.

Damaged roads

Speaking on a point of order, MQM-P legislator Amir Siddiqui urged the provincial government to allocate Rs50 billion for the repair and restoration of the damaged road infrastructure in Karachi. He lamented that road networks in all the industrial zones in the city are in a shambles.

MQM-P MPA Ejazul Haq said the water issue has become very problematic in Orangi Town. He demanded that the provincial government resolve the issue. He said that up to 40 per cent of the areas in the locality do not have proper pipelined network of water supply.

The PA also admitted an adjournment motion, presented by Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Heer Soho, calling for providing ownership rights to the solar panels being given by the government to household women in Sindh from underprivileged rural areas

for promoting women’s empowerment.