LAHORE: The historic Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens may be removed from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)’s list of World Heritage Sites if its team does not arrive in Pakistan to inspect the dangers faced by the two sites due to the construction of Orange Line Metro Train. It should be noted that the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens are mentioned as a single heritage entity [one unit] in the UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites. According to details, the UNESCO’s Reactive Monitoring Mission had submitted visa requests three months ago but the government is using delaying tactics in issuance of visa to the UN’s mission. The UN agency has expressed its concerns that a section of Shalimar Gardens is facing irreparable damage due to construction of the OLMT. The UNESCO stated that they had asked for visa for January 9 to January 12, however, the government is not responding to their requests. The Pakistani government has requested the UN agency to visit the historical sites in February. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Pakistan has criticised the federal government for not issuing visas to the UN team. Deputy chief of ICOMOS Pakistan Fouzia Qureshi has said that the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens will be removed from the list if UNESCO team does not visit the historical sites. Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had restrained the construction of OLMT within 200 feet distance of the historical sites in the historical city. The court has outlawed the construction of the train project at 11 sites including Shalimar Gardens, Choburji, Gulabi Bagh, Aiwan-e-Auqaaf, GPO Building, Baddhu Ka Awa, Dai Anga Mosque, Lahore Registry of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Lahore High Court.