Recovered artefacts include rare Buddhist sculptures, Mehrgarh figurines, and ancient gold coins dating back thousands of years.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has regained hundreds of its stolen historical treasures after the United States repatriated more than 450 rare antiquities in a major cultural restoration initiative, highlighting intensified global efforts against illegal artefact trafficking.
The priceless artefacts many dating back thousands of years had been illegally trafficked out of Pakistan before being recovered through extensive investigations and close collaboration between American law enforcement agencies and Pakistani authorities.
The repatriated collection represents centuries of South Asian civilisation and includes some of the region’s most treasured archaeological pieces.
Among the remarkable artefacts are ancient Mehrgarh terracotta figurines dating from 3500–2600 BCE, an intricately carved Gandharan frieze depicting Buddhist figures, and a rare statue of Bodhisattva Maitreya.
One of the most extraordinary items returned is a rare second-century CE Buddhapada sculpture valued at nearly $1.1 million. The sculpture, believed to have been looted from Pakistan during the 1980s, was later smuggled into New York through international trafficking networks.
The collection also features a rare Gold Strato I “Stater” coin from 105–85 BCE, recovered during anti-smuggling operations in 2023 aimed at dismantling global antiquities trafficking rings.
The recovery operation was spearheaded by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU) of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the formal return following years of investigations into transnational criminal organisations involved in the illicit trade of cultural property.
Speaking at the ceremony, Assistant US Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Eric Paul Kapur described the returned artefacts as powerful symbols of Pakistan’s ancient heritage and stressed the collective responsibility of preserving humanity’s shared cultural legacy.
Pakistani officials termed the repatriation a historic achievement for cultural diplomacy and heritage preservation, noting that the recovered antiquities will now be safeguarded and exhibited in Pakistan for researchers, historians, and the public to appreciate.
The landmark handover underscores growing international cooperation against cultural theft and reinforces global efforts to protect invaluable historical treasures from illegal trafficking networks.
