France returns 486 smuggled artefacts to Pakistan
The relics were seized by customs at Paris airport in 2006, 2007
Archaeologist Aurore Didier points to some artifacts amongst the 445 artifacts from the 2nd and 3rd millennium BC which were seized by French customs between 2006 and 2007, before being returned by French authorities to Pakistan, during a ceremony at the Embassy of Pakistan in Paris, France, July 2, 2019. PHOTO: REUTERS
Authorities in France have returned 486 artefacts which had been stolen from Pakistan back to Islamabad, according to the Foreign Office (FO) on Tuesday.
Some 512 artefacts which were smuggled from Pakistan were seized by customs at the Paris airport back in 2006 and2007.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi took notice of the issue and instructed his ministry and its missions in different countries to engage with host governments for their repatriation to Pakistan.
"After verification of their origin and completion of formalities, 486 archaeological artefacts were handed over by the French government to the Embassy of Pakistan in Paris on July 2," the statement reads.
Rodolphe Gintz, director general of customs and indirect rights of the french ministry of action and public accounts handed over the rare and precious artifacts to Pakistani embassy in France.
"The artefacts were returned in a ceremony attended by French officials from concerned ministries and representatives from several French cultural and archaeological institutes and museums, as well as French print and electronic media," the communique further reads.
Pakistan’s Deputy Head of Mission Muhammad Amjad Aziz Qazi thanked Paris for their support and cooperation in completing the formalities to hand over the artefacts.
While the Director General of the French Customs Rodolphe Gintz also expressed his satisfaction over the successful closure of nearly twelve years old case.
Some 512 artefacts which were smuggled from Pakistan were seized by customs at the Paris airport back in 2006 and2007.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi took notice of the issue and instructed his ministry and its missions in different countries to engage with host governments for their repatriation to Pakistan.
"After verification of their origin and completion of formalities, 486 archaeological artefacts were handed over by the French government to the Embassy of Pakistan in Paris on July 2," the statement reads.
Rodolphe Gintz, director general of customs and indirect rights of the french ministry of action and public accounts handed over the rare and precious artifacts to Pakistani embassy in France.
"The artefacts were returned in a ceremony attended by French officials from concerned ministries and representatives from several French cultural and archaeological institutes and museums, as well as French print and electronic media," the communique further reads.
Pakistan’s Deputy Head of Mission Muhammad Amjad Aziz Qazi thanked Paris for their support and cooperation in completing the formalities to hand over the artefacts.
While the Director General of the French Customs Rodolphe Gintz also expressed his satisfaction over the successful closure of nearly twelve years old case.