PESHAWAR:February 04: Lauding the devolution of the Archives and Heritage Department to the provinces, vice-chancellor of Abdul Wali Khan University (AWKU) in Mardan Prof Dr Ihsan Ali said on Friday it was the joint responsibility of all segments of society to protect its cultural heritage.

Talking to The News during his visit to the Peshawar Museum, he said the museums were actually educational institutions. He stressed the need for increased linkages among museums and educational institutions so that information about cultural heritage could be transmitted to the new generation. Director Museum and Archeology Shah Nazar Khan, curator Nidaullah Sehrai and project director of the Sethi Houses, Yasmeen Lari were also present on the occasion.

Ihsan Ali said the commencement of work on the preservation of Sethi Houses was a major step for the protection of cultural heritage of the region and would help promote tourism. He said the historic relics of the province were an asset to the region and should be preserved for the new generation. “The role of universities and educational institutions is of immense importance for the purpose,” he added. The academician said a museum was being set up at the AWKU in Mardan. He said the museum would have relics of Mardan region, known as the seat of Gandhara civilization.The news.