France hands over smuggled artefacts to Pakistan

[ahlam1399]

ISLAMABAD: France has handed over 486 archaeological artefacts — dating as far back as the second and third millennium BC — to the Pakistan embassy in Paris, the Foreign Office said.According to a press release issued by the Foreign Office on Tuesday, some 512 artefacts which were stolen and smuggled from Pakistan to France were seized by French customs at Paris airport during 2006-7.Pakistan is home to some of the oldest civilizations — like the Gandhara, Indus, and the Mehrgarh — and has a large repository of ancient artefacts.After verification of their origin and completion of tedious and protracted legal and administrative formalities, 486 archaeological artefacts were handed over to the Embassy of Pakistan, Paris on July 2.French Ministry of Action and Public Accounts Customs and Indirect Rights Director General Rodolphe Gintz handed over the precious artefacts in a simple ceremony, which was attended by French officials and representatives from several French cultural and archaeological institutes and museums, as well as French print and electronic media.Pakistan’s deputy head of mission, Amjad Aziz Qazi thanked France, especially French customs, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Culture for their support and cooperation for the restitution of the artefacts.Gintz expressed satisfaction over the successful closure of the nearly 12-year-old case in which France fulfilled its obligations under UNESCO Convention of1970 on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and transport of Ownership of Cultural property, to which both Pakistan and France are signatories.Pakistan and France enjoy historical cooperation in the field of archaeology. The French Archaeological Mission has been working in Pakistan for the last 60 years, having made important discoveries including more than 7000-year-old Mehrgarh civilisation.The restitution of Pakistan-origin artefacts has further strengthened the bonds of cooperation between the two countries.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/tmPBcwchQFE

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