Pakistan, Aug. 9 -- Pakistan is set to become the first South Asian nation to ratify the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced this during a meeting with UNESCO's Dr. Cristina Menegazzi in Islamabad. This marks a major step toward preserving Pakistan's submerged maritime legacy.

The minister and UNESCO discussed ways to document, protect, and promote Pakistan's underwater archaeological sites. These sites include shipwrecks, submerged landscapes, ancient piers, lighthouses, and historic trade routes along the Arabian Sea. Maritime archaeology is gaining attention worldwide for its importance in understanding history and clim...