The government of Australia, on Wednesday, returned a Bronze Age “stone aniconic weight” to Pakistan that was smuggled from Pakistan to the high commission in Canberra. The return proved to be a significant diplomatic achievement for Pakistan.
A formal ceremony was conducted in Pakistan High Commission, Canberra to officially hand over the artifact to the country’s High Commissioner to Australia ZahidHafeezChaudhri. The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Office of the Arts, INTERPOL Canberra, Australian Border Force (ABF), and the Australian Federal Police.
This was the first time that the Australian government returned an object of cultural heritage from Pakistan, back to the country, under the Unesco convention.
The stone believed to be dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE was originated in Balochistan from where it was excavated and illegally smuggled out of the country. An Australian resident purchased it online from a seller in the US and was then exported to Australia in July 2020.
The object was stopped for inspection by the Australian Border Force (ABF) and upon investigation was found to be Pakistan’s cultural property.
A refurbishment request was made by Pakistan’s High Commission to the Australian Office of the Arts for the return of the object to its legal owner under the Unesco convention on the Means of Prohibiting the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Cultural Property 1970.
Pakistan and Australia both are signatories of the aforementioned convention.
Addressing the ceremony, High Commissioner ZahidHafeezChaudhri lauded the Australian government’s efforts in intercepting, recovering and returning this greatly valuable cultural property from the Bronze Age to Pakistan.
He further highlighted the importance of collaboration among countries against illegitimate trafficking in cultural property.
The high commissioner also emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to working with international friends and partners for the safeguard of common cultural heritage.