NA Panel Seeks Details on Repatriated Antiquities
News Desk
Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture (NASCNHC) has appreciated the repatriation of 1,252 archaeological artefacts from abroad and directed the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture to provide details of measures in place to prevent the illicit trafficking of antiquities.
The committee met at Parliament House on Tuesday under the chairpersonship of MNA Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar.
The committee was informed that sustained efforts by the ministry had resulted in the repatriation of 1,252 archaeological artefacts from the United States, Australia, Italy and other countries during the past year.
Expressing concern over the illicit excavation, trafficking and unauthorised export of archaeological artefacts, the committee directed the ministry to submit at its next meeting a comprehensive account of existing preventive mechanisms, technical capacity for authenticating antiquities and details of artefacts repatriated over the past five years.
The committee also stressed the need for strict oversight of conservation projects supported by foreign assistance. It directed that all such interventions be subjected to qualified technical inspection, systematic and documented monitoring, and transparent and accountable use of funds.
The ministry informed the committee that Pakistan is a signatory to the 1954 Hague Convention and its Protocol, the 1970 UNESCO Convention on preventing the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property, and the 1972 World Heritage Convention.
The committee was told that UNESCO provided $75,000 each in 2022 for the Moenjodaro and Makli World Heritage Sites to support post-disaster responses to monsoon-related hazards. Another $49,139 was provided in 2025 for the conservation and restoration of Takht-i-Bahi and the neighbouring city of Sahr-i-Bahlol.
The committee also endorsed a ministry initiative to offer voluntary academic guidance to CSS aspirants at the National Library of Pakistan through experienced officers and resource persons.
The proposed sessions will cover compulsory subjects including English, Pakistan Studies, General Knowledge, History of Pakistan and Everyday Science, with particular emphasis on English grammar and composition, précis and report writing, and official writing skills.
The committee, however, stressed that the programme should remain within the National Library’s existing mandate and available resources and should not create additional financial or administrative liabilities. It also called for a mechanism to maintain attendance and participation records and periodically evaluate the programme’s effectiveness.
