HYDERABAD: Renowned historian and researcher Professor Dr. Ghulam Mustafa Shar has revealed that the ancient Indus Valley Civilization site of Mohenjo Daro is not merely 5,500 years old, but it dates back 2.5 million years.
He claimed the site witnessed multiple phases of destruction and re-settlement over millennia. He said this while delivering a lecture titled “New Discoveries: Origin, Ascent & Descent of the Indus Civilization” at the Pir Hissamuddin Shah Rashdi Auditorium, Institute of Sindhology, University of Sindh Jamshoro.
The event was organized by the Institute of Sindhology in collaboration with the M.H. Panhwar Institute of Studies. Sindh University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Khalil-ur-Rehman Kumbhati chaired the session.
Dr. Shar said that after one of Mohenjo Daro’s declines, settlers from Johi migrated and attempted to revive the city. Later, adherents of Buddhism established Stupas using mud bricks and practiced meditation there.
He disclosed that archaeological excavations at the site unearthed weapons such as spears, axes and knives, while remains of more than 16 bodies were found in a single house, suggesting the city had been invaded.
He emphasized that only 8% of Moen Jo Daro has been excavated so far and 92% remains untouched. Further excavation, he noted, could lead to significant new findings and unveil many hidden truths.
In response to a question, Dr. Shar said the language of Moen Jo Daro was not Dravidian, but a distinct local language which remains un-deciphered to this day. He called for a re-evaluation of the historical importance of Mohenjo Daro in light of recent findings, stating that the civilization was highly advanced, with a well-developed system of knowledge. “New artefacts, seals and models have emerged that had not been discovered in previous excavations”, he said. “Moen Jo Daro is not merely an archaeological site; it is a living treasure of knowledge, reflecting the grandeur, intellect and cultural brilliance of ancient Sindh,” he asserted.
He urged that the civilization not be viewed merely in terms of urban planning, but as a hub of scientific knowledge, technical education, social values and trade. Dr. Shar demanded the allocation of funds for scientific research at Moen Jo Daro and called for global recognition of its importance.
In his presidential address, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Khalil-ur-Rehman Khoumbhati stressed the need for collaborative research on Sindh’s history after partition by the departments of History and Archaeology of all the Universities in Sindh. He lamented the lack of significant research on Sindh’s history after partition and the absence of authentic reference books. He called upon the Sindh government’s Department of Culture to play a more proactive role in this regard.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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