LAHORE, July 19: Unesco has rejected four Pakistani sites as unfit for putting on the World Heritage List (WHL) for the second consecutive time in two years on account of "incomplete and contradictory" information provided by the federal archaeology department.

The department had submitted a draft proposal regarding four archaeological sites -- Harappa in the Punjab, Mehrgarh in Balochistan, Rehman Dheri and Rani Ghat in the NWFP -- to the World Heritage Committee (WHC) this year for putting them on the WHL.

The WHL, which met at Suzhou, China, this month, has approved 34 sites as fit for the WHL, including two of India's, but rejected Pakistani sites for certain reasons.

Giving details, Unesco representative Karalyn Schenk told Dawnon Monday that Pakistan had provided no information about the boundaries of the proposed sites for the WHL. The sites were not geographically defined in any respect, she said, adding there was no comparative analysis of the sites as well.

The draft proposal was contradictory and without management plans, Ms Karalyn said. The federal archaeology department, which apparently learnt no lesson from last year's failure, did not provide complete information about the sites.

The tall claims of federal archaeology department director-general Fazal Dad Kakar that this time it had completed all requirements of Unesco like the history, documentation, condition survey and history of intervention, including maps of the proposed sites, have proved wrong.

An official said the department again did not do any homework this year. The DG was not available for comments. It is pertinent to mention that after being enlisted on the WHL, it is mandatory for the WHC to ensure provision of technical cooperation under the World Heritage Fund for safeguarding world heritage properties.

Long-term loans and in special cases non-repayable grants are also provided for the preservation and conservation of the WHL's sites. Emergency assistance is also available in case the WHL site is badly damaged due to various factors.

The sites selected for the WHL this year are as under: Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra in Indonesia, Ilulissat Icefjord in Denmark, Pitons Management Area in Saint Lucia, Natural System of "Wrangel Island" in Russia, Cape Floral Region in South Africa, Tomb of Askia in Mali, Koutammakou the Land of the Batammariba in Togo, Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida) in Morocco, Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa'a) in Jordan, Royal Exhibition Building and Carleton Gardens in Australia, capital cities and tombs of the ancient Koguryo Kingdom in China, Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park in India, Pasargadae in Iran, Sacred sites and pilgrimage routes in the Kii Mountain Range Japan, Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly in Kazakhstan, Complex of Koguryo Tombs Dem People's republic of Korea, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) station in India, Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape in Mongolia, Madriu-Claror-Perafita Valley in Andorra, Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent in Russia, the Vega Archipelago in Noorway, Dresden Elbe Valley in Germany, the Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen in Germany, Muskauer Park / Park Muzakowski in Germany/Poland, Cultural Landscape of Iran, Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia in Italy, Kernave Archaeological Site (Cultural Reserve of Kernave) in Lithuania, Luis Barragan House and Studio in Mexico, Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture in Portugal, Decani Monastery in Serbia, Varberg Radio Station in Sweden, Liverpool - Maritime Mercantile City in the UK.

The WHC has inscribed as many as 788 properties on the WHL which include 611 cultural, 154 natural and 23 mixed properties in 134 States Parties. At present, seven archaeological sites \ monuments in Pakistan are on the WHL.

These are archaeological site of Moenjodaro, historic monuments of Thatha, archaeological remains of Taxila, Buddhist ruins of Takht-i-Bhai, city remains at Sehri Bahlol, Rohtas Fort, the Lahore Fort and the Shalamar Gardens. These historical sites were put on the WHL in 1981, except Rohtas.