French Government repatriates smuggled Archaeological artifacts to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A large number of smuggled archaeological artifacts from Balochistan, Pakistan, were seized by the French Customs at Paris Airport during the years 2006-2007, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The recovered items were formally handed over to Pakistan by the French authorities yesterday (Tuesday).

Mr. Rodolphe GINTZ, Director General of Customs and Indirect Rights, Ministry of Action and Public Accounts of France handed over these rare and precious artifacts, from Balochistan civilization to the Deputy Head of Mission and Charge d’Affaires a.i. Mr. Muhammad Amjad Aziz Qazi in a restitution ceremony held at the Embassy of Pakistan to France, in Paris.

Present on the occasion were the Director of Culture, Education, Research and Network at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and the Head of the Department of International Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and media personnel.

Mr. Amjad Aziz Qazi in his speech thanked the Government of France and the French Custom Department for their support and concerted efforts for pursuing the repatriation case in the French courts and in completing the tedious and complicated legal formalities required for repatriation of the artifacts.

Mr. Rodolphe GINTZ, Director General of French Customs while speaking at the ceremony gave a background of the case noting that the artifacts were seized by the French Customs in pursuance of French obligations arising from UNESCO Convention of 1970 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.

Later, the Director General Customs formally handed over the Pakistani artifacts to the Deputy Head of Mission and Charge d’Affaires a.i. Embassy of Pakistan to France.