"We are all safe and everything is going smoothly. However during the first week, two members of the USM archaeological research team had received treatment at Peshawar Hospital due to sun stroke and food poisoning with the temperature rising as high as 45-48 degrees Celsius here," said Director of the Centre for Global Archaeological Research (PPAG) Professor Dr. Mokhtar Saidin in his email regarding his research team that has been there since June 7.

Mokhtar said, his research expedition has been successful and so far a total of 5 sites have been mapped and a geophysical survey has been conducted which will go on until 30 June 2013.

"I have also found evidence of stone tool artifacts "adze" at a site 2000 meters above sea level that has not been recorded before," he added.

 According to Mokhtar, all 7 members of his research team are now at the peak of the mountainous Kashmir Gandhara Smast sites, around 1200 to 2000 meters above sea level. The climb via mountain slopes to the top of the Kashmir Gandhara Smast took 4 hours with a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius.

He added, "all this while, our movement are monitored closely by the police, four people on duty at any time, providing us protection and security; they even cooked for us and in every meal there is chapatti, morning, noon and night."

The PPAG team will return to Penang on 2nd July.

Mokhtar also sent some pictures, among them are photos of his research team in front of the "Great Cave" at an altitude of 1118 meters and the first discovery of stone tools - pickaxe - 2000 meters above sea level in Ghandara. TEXT: Mohamad Abdullah/PHOTOS: Prof. Dr. Mokhtar Saidin/TRANSLATION: Tan Ewe Hoe