Ten more ancient sites in Pakistan are likely to be included in UNESCO's World Heritage List, local newspaper DAWN reported Monday.

The archaeological site of Harappa in east Pakistan's Punjab, Mehrgarh in southwestern Balochistan, the site of Ranigat, Rheman Dheri, Mansehra rock edicts and Shahbaz Garhi rock edicts in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and some others are likely to have international recognition for their outstanding universal value, said the report.

The department of archaeology in Pakistan is looking forward to completing support from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in this regard.

According to official sources in the ministry of culture, it is not an easy endeavor to get the sites onto the world heritage list.

Pakistan ratified the World Heritage Convention in 1976 and its seven cultural sites and monuments of outstanding universal value have so far been inscribed in the heritage list of UNESCO.

The highly prized Shish Mahal of Lahore Fort in the Punjab capital, preservation of endangered cultural assets of Gandhara, mapping of cultural heritage in NWFP and Getty Foundation-funded project for Shalamar Garden Master Plan are included in the listed sites.

The list also covers Taxila site situated about 30 km northwest to the capital of Islamabad, influenced by Persians, Greeks and Central Asians and an important Buddhist center of learning from the 5th century BC to the 2nd century AD.

Once on the world heritage list, the sites then belong to all the peoples in the world irrespective of the territory in which they are located. Sites selected for listing are inscribed on the basis of their merits as the best possible example of the cultural and natural heritage of individual nations and of the world.

The world Heritage List reflects the wealth and diversity of the earth's cultural and natural heritage, according to the DAWN report.

However, out of 2,000 ancient sites in Pakistan, which are of national and archaeological significance, only 402 are listed as protected sites and monuments.

Source: Xinhua