Artefacts Smuggling On the Rise In Pakistan.

According to DAWN, smuggling of old and priceless artefacts has increased.Last year about 200 archaelogical articles were smuggled out of Pakistan but in 2009 our Customs Intelligence and Investigation officials caught over a 1000 artefacts that consisted of 16 old and rare manuscripts of the Holy Quran were being smuggled out of the country and another time this year 500 ancient coinsand 30 pieces of ancient pottery articles were stopped at the Islamabad airport.The culprits were caught and the ancient articles were confiscated and returned to the department of archaelogy.

In 2008 ancient coins were intercepted from the International Mail Office of Rawalpindi.The National Assembly was informed that those coins were present in the Custom Office before they were handed to the Archaeolgy Department.

Recently,114 old and rare coins were seized at the Peshawar airport by the Custom authorities who plan to hand the precious coins to the conerned department.

The newspaper reported in its conclusion that the U.S. had spotted priceless antiques from Pakistan that had been smuggled to New Jersey.These artefacts were returned to Pakistan.

It is heartening to see the vigilance of thePakistani authorities in catching the smugglers and it is hoped the culprits are punished and heavily fined.