ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is planning to establish a facility on Murree Road for the respectful preservation and display of Buddhist relics as part of efforts to promote the country’s Gandhara heritage and facilitate Buddhist pilgrims.
Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi said this during a meeting with Myanmar Ambassador Wunna Han, who called on him on Tuesday.
The minister said the proposed facility would provide an appropriate place for Buddhist pilgrims and visitors to pay their respects. The government was also considering transferring important Buddhist relics currently kept at the Peshawar Museum to the National Museum for display at a dedicated national institution.
He said the Shah Allah Ditta Caves would be opened to visitors next month and Pakistan planned to hold Gandhara exhibitions in Buddhist countries to highlight the civilisation’s historical and cultural importance.
The minister also said a draft memorandum of understanding for cooperation with Myanmar had been sent through the Foreign Office and requested the ambassador to help expedite the process.
According to the statement issued by the ministry, Ambassador Wunna Han said Gandhara heritage was of profound importance to Buddhists in Myanmar and other countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. He said he had visited several archaeological sites since arriving in Pakistan in July 2024, including Taxila and its museum.
He highlighted Taxila, Peshawar, Swat and Takht-i-Bahi as important centres of Buddhist heritage, particularly for their contribution to Greco-Buddhist art and the development of visual representations of Buddha.
The ambassador expressed interest in promoting Buddhist pilgrimage and religious tourism between Pakistan and Myanmar. He suggested exploring charter flights for pilgrims, noting that there was currently no direct commercial air link between the two countries.
Secretary National Heritage and Culture Division Asad Rahman Gillani said ambassadors of Buddhist countries in Islamabad would be invited to the opening of Shah Allah Ditta Caves.
Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Gandhara Imran Shokat said a delegation of Buddhist monks was expected to visit Pakistan in November.
Both sides agreed to enhance cultural cooperation, promote Buddhist pilgrimage and strengthen people-to-people contacts.
Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2026
