Pakistan government buying stolen antiques

Published on 7 August 1995

Author(s): The Muslim

Type:  News

In what was described by most experts as a surprise decision, the Cabinet approved last month a supplementary grant of Rs 30 million to procure antiques, metal and glassware, manuscripts and paintings available in the local market or in private hands. Following the Cabinet directive, the Finance Division agreed last week to provide the huge amount for procurement from local market of artifacts/ manuscripts/arts pieces of Afghanistan or Central Asian origin for display in National Museum in Islamabad.

The only thing which happened recently was unconfirmed reports that a large number of high value pieces of carved ivory stolen from the Afghan National Museum in Kabul have been brought to Peshawar and were offered for sale to a very few, highly connected persons. It is understood that some of the Afghan ivory pieces have already been sold to individuals and smuggled out of Pakistan but more than one hundred pieces are still reported to be available with a man in Peshawar who according to one expert was operating under an assumed name.

The Afghan treasure of carved ivory was discovered at village Begram, some 40 miles north-east of Kabul and dates back to 2nd century AD. They come from a period when the Kushan Empire covered a vast area from northern India up to the upper regions of Central Asia. Artifacts from this period, therefore, can be classified as of Central Asian Afghan origin.

The decision of the Cabinet came as a surprise for people who are knowledgeable about the international law on sale/purchase of archeological pieces belonging to the cultural heritage of another nation. They advise that care must be taken while selecting items for purchase from the supplementary grant for display at Pakistan National Museum because if even one item stolen from Kabul museum is procured by the Government of Pakistan, it would amount to a clear violation of the 1972 UN convention of Protection of National Heritage of the member states. Pakistan is a signatory to the Convention.

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