Pakistan Recovers Smuggled Archaeological Artifacts from France
A substantial collection of archaeological artifacts smuggled from Pakistan’s Balochistan province has been successfully repatriated from France, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The Pakistani Embassy in Paris received the historically valuable items after they were confiscated by French customs authorities under the 1970 UNESCO Convention, which aims to prevent the illicit import, export, and transfer of cultural property. Following formal procedures, the embassy has arranged for the artifacts’ safe return to Pakistan.
The recovered artifacts include ancient pottery vessels and other objects suspected to have been illegally taken from archaeological sites in Balochistan. These items were intercepted over recent years during customs checks.
This repatriation follows earlier efforts, notably in 2019, when France returned 450 artifacts dating back to around 4,000 BC, which had been seized a decade earlier.
In a related investigation, a 2006 seizure at Paris airport uncovered 17 pottery vessels estimated to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years old, originating from Balochistan’s ancient ruins. This led to a raid on the Harris Gallery that recovered 445 objects valued at approximately 139 million euros (about $157,000).
The Pakistani Embassy maintained close coordination with French officials throughout the process to ensure the return of these culturally significant items.
Officials in Islamabad have welcomed the development, emphasizing the importance of protecting Pakistan’s rich archaeological heritage and cracking down on illicit smuggling networks.
This successful repatriation not only restores priceless pieces of Pakistan’s history but also underscores the strength of international cooperation in preserving cultural heritage.
