Peshawar:24 August: The department of archaeology, Hazara University, Mansehra, in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission Islamabad, will hold a three-day international conference on "Rediscovering the Silk Route" at the main campus from September 5 to 7.

"It will be first-ever international moot of its kind in which scholars from around the world will explore the legacy of the Silk Route," said Dr Abdul Samad, head of the Department of Archaeology, here on Thursday.

He said the conference's basic aim was to provide an advanced forum for national and international scholars and researchers to share their latest researches and findings of their projects on any aspect related with the Silk Route.

Dr Samad explained that the Silk Route had earned a high status in terms of archaeological heritage, cultural legacy, scriptural and lingual interaction, trade and commerce, religious thoughts, socio-political ideas, artistic and architectural endeavours, geographic-cum-strategic importance, and ethnological assets (both tangible and intangible) of innumerable hordes of diverse origins who used to move along this most frequented highway.

"The route has been the safest path for the caravans and convoys between Pakistan and China and beyond," he maintained. He added the tourism industry (both eco and cultural) had a good potential for its growth and marketing due to many places of interest along the Silk Route and in the adjoining areas.

Dr Samad, who is also an organiser of this conference, shared that this conference will generate interest in the cultural heritage of Pakistan among the public at the international, national, provincial and local level as well. Dawn.