Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta

• Deliberate destruction of heritage
• Earthquake
• Erosion and siltation/ deposition
• Housing
• Illegal activities
• Land conversion
• Management activities
• Management systems/ management plan
• Other climate change impacts
• Solid waste
• Flooding
• Other Threats: Stability of the foundations (earth mechanics) of the Jam Nizamuddin II tomb

Total amount granted: USD 30,000 from the UNESCO Regular Programme Funds for a condition survey of Jam Nizzamuddin tomb (2011); USD 33,000 from the UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust for the Emergency assessment and immediate response to damages caused by the floods (2012); UNESCO Emergency assistance and immediate response to damages caused by the floods (2012); two phases of the UNESCO/Republic of Korea Funds-in-Trust project ‘World Heritage, Sustainable Development and Community Involvement’ for World Heritage properties in Bangladesh and Pakistan also concern this property (Phase I: 2015-2017 – USD 600,065; Phase II: 2019-2022 – USD 769,741); USD 50,000 from the UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust for ‘Emergency Conservation of “Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta” World Heritage Site’ (2023-2024)

On 22 January 2024, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/143/documents. Progress in addressing the conservation issues raised by the Committee at its previous sessions and the response to the 2022 heavy monsoon damage are presented in this report, as follows:

• Actions taken to implement the recommendations of the UNESCO emergency missions of 2022 and 2023, including a damage assessment report for immediate stabilisation works, comprehensive site survey, drainage study, preparation of a visitor management framework, installation of a drainage canal, training activities led by a UNESCO international expert on climate change effects, work on emergency preparedness, and strengthening of documentation efforts for detached pieces and monuments;
• Visitor services were provided for 21 active shrines, thereby supporting ongoing living traditions;
• A comprehensive analytical report (annexed to the State Party report) on the effects of the 2022 monsoon, arising from the two emergency missions, provides an overall assessment of the site’s state, the state of the monuments and areas requiring close monitoring, required equipment and a budget estimate, and recommendations on immediate and medium conservation priorities;
• Management tools have been elaborated, including a revised and updated Management Plan, Conservation Plan, and Disaster Risk Response Plan;
• Inspections occur before the monsoon season, and an emergency response team has been designated to undertake urgent maintenance and interventions;
• Mitigation/preparative measures have been identified to address potential natural disasters and climate change impacts;
• Training and capacity building have been organised under the guidance of international experts;
• The installation of the new main gate is complete;
• The intervention on the floor of Mausoleum of Isa Khan Tarkhan II responded to flooding and water ingress issues, replacing flooring from the 1970s that was not part of the original historic fabric;
• An action plan is being prepared for the stabilisation and conservation of the mausoleum of Jam Nizamuddin II;
• Progress is being made with the proposed Minor Boundary Modification and will be submitted in due course.

Funding of USD 50,000 was approved through UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust to provide emergency support to the Sheikh Jiyo Tomb and an unknown tomb from the Samma Period (16th-century CE).

The State Party’s continued efforts following the August 2022 monsoon and in response to the UNESCO emergency missions of November 2022 and February 2023, including preparing a comprehensive analytical report, in developing short-, medium- and long-term action plans, including financial and technical requirements, are commendable. The Committee may wish to encourage the State Party to undertake the recommended interventions. The Committee may also wish to reiterate the need for ongoing implementation of its previous decisions and all the recommendations of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission.

The draft Conservation Plan is useful as a targeted response to the 2022 monsoon and to address climate change vulnerability and could include a schedule of specific actions and budgets. The draft Disaster Risk Response Plan is timely and valuable but needs to address a wider range of risks, include a detailed roadmap with priorities, and identify the required resources. The updated Management Plan effectively compiles previous documents and recommendations and integrated revisions on an earlier version. As the over-arching policy document, it should integrate the key elements of the Conservation and the Disaster Risk Response Plans with a clear outline of required actions. It is recommended that all three documents be revised in accordance with the guidance already provided through the ICOMOS Technical Reviews.

The living nature of the property is an important attribute that the State Party also acknowledges. The community’s access needs to be sustained while necessary security and safety measures are deployed and conservation activities occur.

The training programme in disaster response is a timely reaction to recent challenges, and the State Party should be encouraged to continue strengthening staff capacities in all conservation areas, including stone conservation and moveable heritage management.

While the completed construction of the main gate and the reasoning behind the new masonry floor of the Mausoleum of Isa Khan Tarkhan II are noted, the State Party is advised to follow paragraphs 118bis and 172 of the Operational Guidelines by submitting project documentation, including a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context, to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before any decision is made that would be difficult to reverse and before any work commences. This process should also apply to future projects that may have an impact on the OUV of the property, including the forthcoming action plan for the stabilisation and conservation of the mausoleum of Jam Nizamuddin II.

The State Party's commitment to proceeding with a proposal for a Minor Boundary Modification in accordance with paragraphs 163-164 and Annex 11 of the Operational Guidelines is welcome, and the Committee may request its submission in due course.

Finally, the Committee may wish to acknowledge the recent support from the UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust for the conservation of the Sheikh Jiyo tomb and a nearby tomb of the Samma period, identified as a short-term priority by the emergency mission. Further assistance from the international community should be encouraged to elaborate costed action plans in the Conservation Plan, Disaster Risk Response Plan and Management Plan and prepare a technical proposal for emergency and short-term interventions for prioritized monuments. Further assistance could also be encouraged to cope with the estimated loss of USD 6.1 million in the culture and heritage sector of Pakistan, as evaluated by 2022 Post Disaster Needs Assessment.