US and Balochistan officials marked the completion of the Mehrgarh Museum preservation project on Saturday, ahead of the Quetta museum’s official reopening later this month.
US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker joined Balochistan Parliamentary Secretary Nawabzada Mir Muhammad Zarain Khan Magsi and Sindh Exploration and Adventure Society (SEAS) leadership for the ceremony.
The initiative marks the first project in Balochistan under the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). Its completion extends the programme’s footprint to all four Pakistani provinces.
SEAS and the Balochistan Culture Department implemented the project together. They preserved ancient Neolithic and archaeological artefacts from the Mehrgarh civilisation and upgraded museum curation to international standards.
The work also expanded community outreach and trained local heritage professionals in long-term collection care. These measures aim to help museum staff protect the collections beyond the project’s completion.
Preservation work prepares museum for visitors
Baker linked the initiative to wider cooperation between Pakistan and the United States. She said American museum and preservation expertise could deliver lasting results while building trust between the peoples of both countries.
“Today, we are thrilled that, through American excellence in museums and heritage preservation, the Mehrgarh Museum of Balochistan will showcase the 8,000-year-old Mehrgarh civilization and many others.” CDA Baker stated.
“Projects like this one show what American expertise delivers: lasting, tangible results that preserve history, create jobs, and strengthen local communities. Together, the United States and Pakistan are making real progress in protecting this remarkable legacy.”
During the ceremony, Baker, Magsi and project leads Dr. Asma Ibrahim and Dr. Kaleemullah Lashari unveiled a commemorative plaque. It will stand at the museum entrance in Quetta ahead of the reopening.
The project follows a US grant announcement of more than $320,000 in January 2024. Then-US ambassador Donald Blome and then-caretaker Balochistan chief minister Ali Mardan Khan Domki launched the initiative.
At that stage, US-supported cultural preservation funding across Pakistan exceeded $8 million for 33 projects. Earlier initiatives included work on Frere Hall, Varun Dev Temple and historic tombs at Makli.
Mehrgarh’s archaeological importance
Mehrgarh lies on Balochistan’s Kachi plain, near the mouth of the Bolan Pass and approximately 30 kilometres from Sibi. The archaeological site covers around 250 hectares.
Its remains help researchers understand early food production, settlement patterns and the development of specialised crafts before the Indus civilisation’s urban centres emerged.
Excavations have revealed mudbrick structures, storage compartments and burial grounds. The French Archaeological Mission conducted excavations between 1974 and 1986 and resumed work in 1996.
Pakistan added Mehrgarh to its UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in January 2004. That status identifies it for possible future nomination to the World Heritage List.
The museum project brings preservation of this archaeological legacy together with improved displays and local professional training as Quetta prepares to welcome visitors again.
