Pakistan asks World bodies to help counter antiquities’ smuggling
Pakistan Times National News Desk

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a seminar have urged upon the international bodies to support Pakistan in countering the illegal trade of the antiquities to the western world through effective measures.

The seminar on "Conservation, Restoration of Archaeological sites, Monuments and Antiquities in the Museums" was organised by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, NWFP, said a press release issued on Saturday.

Tissier Frederique Sophie, the guest speaker from the University of Sorbonne, Paris-I in her speech highlighted the conservation, its principles, strategies and remedial measures.

She said conservation means action before prolonging life of an object, before it disappears. She added there were two factors responsible for the degeneration of the archaeological heritage, which are human and environmental factors.

Principles of Conservation

She outlined the main principles of conservation, which should be taken into consideration to preserve and protect the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan.

She said stability of the object, reversibility and compatibility of the preservation material and presentation should be given top priority.

The seminar was presided over by Director Archaeology & Museums NWFP Prof Dr Ihsan Ali, who in response to the speakers’ remarks, pointed out that the government was doing much for the preservation and protection of cultural heritage and in this connection all the provincial museums’ collection has been documented and computerised.

New Museums

He said new museums were in progress at Hund, Chitral, Charsadda and Gor Khuttree to achieve the preservation goal of published in Frontier Archaeology Volumes I and II.

He emphasised that as the cultural heritage was a common property, the developed countries of the world and international bodies should help and support Pakistan in this noble cause, especially to control the illegal trade of the antiquities to the western world need to be supported through effective measures.●