Islamabad: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has instructed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) to develop the Buddha Caves situated in the Shah Allah Ditta locality in a bid to promote the tourism industry, a new source reported. He expressed his views on the matter during a meeting with the officials concerned in Islamabad.
PM Imran directed the authorities concerned to collaborate with the National History and Literary Heritage Division for the restoration of these caves as a tourist spot. Later, a follow-up letter detailing these guidelines was also issued from the PM Office to the ministries concerned.
Islamabad Chief Commissioner and CDA Acting Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed confirmed the directives and revealed that the PM was keen to develop historical archaeological sites in the capital. He further said that these Bhudda Caves hold great potential and would serve as an imeptus to attract international tourists. The chief commissioner also mentioned that the archaeology department would handle the site preservation work, while the CDA and ICT would take over the civil and other amenity works.
According to archaeologists, the ancient caves date back to the Stone Age, when the then humans first used the caves and its rock as shelters. The surviving frescos engraved on the cave walls depict images of Hindu deities.
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