UK agrees to return antique pottery to Pakistan

[PakForce Unlimited]

UK agrees to return antique pottery to Pakistan​

ISLAMABAD: The British government has agreed to return to Pakistan 198 pieces of antique pottery valued at millions of dollars and believed to be almost 4,000 years told. The pottery pieces were smuggled out of Pakistan in 2007, but were seized by the UK’s Customs Department at Heathrow Airport. The pieces were sent by airfreight via Dubai and initially categorised as ‘ordinary pieces of pottery with a value of about $100’. The Pakistan High Commission started negotiating with British authorities for the return of the pottery immediately after the pieces were confiscated in the UK. President Asif Ali Zardari has congratulated the Pakistan High Commission in London for securing the return of the ancient artefacts. “The British authorities will hand over the invaluable pieces to the Pakistan High Commission in London in the coming days,” according to statement by the Presidency. President Zardari also wrote a letter to Pakistani High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hassan praising his efforts. The president also advised the ministry responsible for dealing with antiques to display the pieces at a secure place. staff report

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Who in their right mind can try to smuggle parts of the national history in this manner. Shameful.

 

[Omar1984]

WOW 4,000 years ago. Is it pottery from the Indus Valley Civilization?

Pakistan should place strict security in these historical and valuable places. Pakistan has such rich history. To see the artifacts and architecture from Indus Valley Civilization you must go to Pakistan

But thieves stay out!

 

[PakForce Unlimited]

WOW 4,000 years ago. Is it pottery from the Indus Valley Civilization?

Pakistan should place strict security in these historical and valuable places. Pakistan has such rich history. To see the artifacts and architecture from Indus Valley Civilization you must go to Pakistan

But thieves stay out!

I think so, thats the only relevant place i can think of out of the time frame. If not some northern areas. I hope they launch a investigation to break down this organized crime of stealing of national heritage.

 

[PakForce Unlimited]

Also adding to this discussion. Lets hope these items dont fall into wrong hands.

Site older than Mohenjodaro found in Pak ​

An archaeological site dating back about 5,500 years and believed to be older than Mohenjodaro has been found in Pakistan's southern Sindh province. A team of 22 archaeologists found some semi-precious and precious stones and utensils made of clay, copper and other metals during an excavation at the site in Lakhian Jo Daro in Sukkur district yesterday.

"At present, we can say that it (the site) is older than Mohenjodaro," Ghulam Mustafa Shar, the director of the Lakhian Jo Daro project, told Dawn newspaper. The find is said to be of the Kot Diji era, experts said.

Shar said the remains of a "faience" or tin-glazed pottery factory had been found at the site. It is believed to be of the era of mirror factories in Italy that date back to some 9,000 years.

A painting has also been found at the site and the discovery of more such items could establish the site as 9,000 years old, like the remains found at Mehargarh in Balochistan and Jericho in Palestine, Shar said.

Archaeology professors and students from Punjab University, Peshawar University and Islamabad will soon join the team from Shah Abdul Latif University that is currently excavating the site in Lakhian Jo Daro.

Work on the second block of the site will continue for a month and more items could be found, Shar said. Local officials have asked Shar to prepare proposals for setting up a museum at the site.

 

[Omar1984]

Very intersting. I enjoy learning about ancient civilizations. Pakistan must protect these areas. There should be museums built around these places, many people from across the globe would love to visit these historical places.

 

[metalfalcon]

This is our National Heritage we must Protect it at all Costs.People are stealing Antiques and selling them Illegally and there is no security in these Areas, Only Two security Guards are Not Enough.

 

[PakForce Unlimited]

This is our National Heritage we must Protect it at all Costs.People are stealing Antiques and selling them Illegally and there is no security in these Areas, Only Two security Guards are Not Enough.

I think that these people are not just common thiefs. This must be pretty organized when "198 pieces of antique pottery valued at millions of dollars and believed to be almost 4,000 years" can be smuggled out. Just putting up more guards would not help, but Pakistan needs to investigate and find out who is running these networks and crack down these agents who are comitting these crimes. Atleast this time we where lucky, God knows how much have already been smuggled out which the authorities dont have any clue on and what else might get smuggled out in the future and not least gets destroyed or damaged during these processes.

 

[DarkStar]

The Uk have another national treasure of ours, Qaide Tehreek Altaaf Hussain. Its about time this national icon is repatriated too.

 

[metalfalcon]

The Uk have another national treasure of ours, Qaide Tehreek Altaaf Hussain. Its about time this national icon is repatriated too.

I think Let UK keep Him, Otherwise the Telephone Companies in UK will Run out of Business,

 

[Jihad]

Retrieve everything these colonial bastards had stolen from us.