Adil Najam
Many years ago there was a very popular PTV short play, later an even more popular theatre production, called ‘Dubai Challo.‘ Now it seems that the new trend is to ‘Sharjah lay Challo.’ That is, steal national historical treasures and take them to Sharjah and, possibly, beyond.
An Associated Press news item published in the International Herald Tribune and elsewhere caught my attention earlier today:
Pakistan officials said on Saturday they had foiled a bid to smuggle hundreds of historical artifacts to the United Arab Emirates, and were looking for those who booked the consignment. The artifacts, worth million of dollars (euros), had been concealed in a shipping container that was seized on Nov. 1 at the main seaport in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city, said customs spokesman Muhammad Yahya.
A total of 625 artifacts, including Buddha sculptures, were found in the shipment listed as furniture. Experts from Pakistan’s Archaeology Department concluded that the artifacts were of a historical nature, he said. Yahya said that no arrests had been made, but a team of investigators was looking for the suspects who booked the consignment for Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. “These precious artifacts were hidden in 23 wooden boxes with ordinary furniture as part of the export consignment,” he said.
Some might suggest that in light of everything happening right now – including the important but yet incomplete rollback of some draconian laws related to womens rights and the possible shell-games being played out with MMA (and, now, ARD) resignations – this amounts to ‘small peanuts.’ Something of little significance to most Pakistanis.
That may well be so, especially in the short term. However, I keep thinking that there is something particularly vile about such crimes of the rich which, at its roots, is about stealing a part of Pakistaniat from Pakistanis. At the same time, it is a sign of hope that some in law enforcement remain cognizant of their real responsibilities. It is our duty, then, to celebrate their success; because very few others will.
The picture shows Gandhara artifacts but we have also had a steady theft of other types of artifacts going on. For use within and outside Pakistan. Much of old Peshawar and old Lahore has been dismantled and even government property such as art (Sadequain in particular) keeps finding its ways to the homes of the rich and the so-called art connaisuers.
The smuggling of the artifacts is as old in Pakistan as the country itself. Most of the Gandhara artifacts originate in Afghanistan, NWFP and Taxila. Barring a small educated class, most Pakistanis, unfortunately, never considered these statues as national wealth and wouldn’t give a damn if they stayed in Pakistan or were smuggled abroad. There are religious reasons for that.(Remember the blasting of Bamiyan Buddhas?)
The smuggling of the Gandhara artifacts from Pakistan started in earnest, like most other social evils that we are dealing with today, during the “great Afghan jihad”.
When Americans, Europeans and others set their eyes on these treasures a sudden and huge demand developed for them. The rest was taken care of by the market forces and the prevailing corruption in Pakistani bureaucracy.
Most smuggling is carried out by the connivance or active involvement of police and the customs and sometime the museum personnel when the items are smuggled out of the museums. Sometime there are big fish at the back of this racket who provide protection to the various people in the smuggling chain.
Therefore this catch is neither the first, nor will it be the last — unfortunately. What is surprising, however, is that the size of the catch each time is phenomenally larger than the previous catches.
Congrats, i think they might denied to pay huge amount to custom officers for smuggling that historical treasure. So that they have been caught by custom’s.
Well, Sharjah, as we hear it in Pakistan, still gets the step sister treatment from cities like Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Sharjah is mainly low-income, more crime kinda city in the UAE, hence, there is a greater chance for sumgglers and dealers to sell their ‘shit’ to foriegner’s or agencies dealing with foriegners interested in these precious artifacts. Something like what has happened in Egypt, etc.
A great bust for the Custom’s people and great news for Pakistan. Yaaay! \o/
Good job Customs’ Officials for the bust….
Let us stop this menace of smuggling, be it artifacts or drugs or whatever for that matter that brings bad name and shame to our country and fellow citizens around the world…