Caves once inhabited by Buddhist monks, Hindu yogis and Jain ascetics near Islamabad, testify to the region’s historical significance. The Grand Trunk road goes through this age-old trade road that once linked the Greek invaders with India and China. Known as the Shah Allah Ditta caves, these caves once preserved the past in carvings of Hindu deities and spiritual sayings.
But despite being declared a national heritage site, only eight out of the original 856 kanals of protected land remain intact. Violations of the 1975 heritage law intended to prevent construction within 200 meters go unchecked, as clubs rise above the caves and land is seized for commercial use.
Without urgent state intervention, this historical site risks being lost to unchecked development. Preserving them is not only a matter of law, but of honoring a shared cultural and spiritual legacy.