The Collectorate of Customs, Exports, Karachi, foiled an attempt at Port Muhammad Bin Qasim to smuggle 150-200 years old Gandhara statues worth millions of dollars, destined for United States of America (USA).
Official sources told Business Recorder on Friday that on November 10, 2005, customs officials at Port Qasim examined a suspected consignment declared as marble handicrafts, which was destined for Los Angeles, USA. The packing of the marble in wooden boxes created suspicion.
The consignment was thoroughly examined and five statues of Budhist period of Gandhara Art were detected along with a wooden statuette. The consignment was being exported by an export company through its shipping/clearing agent.
Officials said that the customs requested the Department of Archaeology and Museum to confirm the status of these articles. Majid Hussain, Director, Department of Archaeology and Museum, Karachi, took photographs of the suspected items as per departmental procedure.
He thoroughly examined the whole consignment along with customs staff and informed that five statues belonged to second to fourth century AD when Gandhara civilisation was at its peak in the present-day northern Pakistan.
The pieces depicted most probably the reign of King Kanishka who embraced Budhism. The art of statues making through stones was at climax during his rule. This art is now known as Gandhara Art.
A wooden statue of Buddha about 150 years old was also in the consignment. This wooden statute was probably imported into Pakistan from Far East where these were made about 100-200 years ago.
They said that the formal report will be sent by the Director General, Archaeology and Museum, Islamabad to CBR Customs Wing within a week's time.
Meanwhile, the customs have detained the consignment of 'Marble Handicrafts' for further investigation. As per procedure, antiques are handed over to the museums maintained by the department of archaeology.