ISLAMABAD: The Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM) has preserved 11,000 priceless antiquities from smuggling with the help of national and international agencies during the last three years.
These antiquities were prevented from smuggling to the other countries by the relevant authorities and then prevented by the department, said an official of the department while talking to APP.
The department of archaeology, after devolution, has taken a number of steps for the protection, preservation and promotion of the rich cultural heritage of the country.
The department has also arranged exhibition of 96 cultural artefacts of Balochistan at National Museum in Rome, Italy through the Pakistani Embassy there. The department has also taken up the case of repatriation of the cultural relic of Pakistan with US State Department which have been smuggled from Pakistan to United States, the official said.
The official said the department has completed archaeological excavations at a Buddhist site of `Ban Faqiran’ recently with the support of National Fund for Cultural Heritage (NFCH) while the preservation work is now about to commence. The department has also completed development project “Preservation and Restoration of Sheikhupura Fort” under US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation Programme in 2015.
