KARACHI, Jan 24: As many as 60 antique barons were obliged to attend a clandestinely arranged special exhibition of invaluable artifacts at the National Museum for three days in December last year, it is learnt on good authority.
The artefacts on display at the museum are allowed to be viewed by any visitor during the normal timings — 9am to 5pm. However, not only more attractive artefacts were presented to the barons, but special timings for the private exhibition were also worked out for them in order to keep others away. The ‘VVIP sessions’ were held on Dec 4 (an off day), Dec 5 (at 7am) and Dec 14 (after closing time).
The aim of the clandestine exhibitions was to raise funds for the museum which is facing serious financial constraints, according to some sources.
The sessions were organized by the Archeology Department and a non-governmental organization whose name has still been kept secret.
Usually, the museum opens for the general public at 9am and closes at 5pm with Wednesday being a closed holiday. To maintain security for the ancient treasure, timings are observed very strictly and the museum premises remain sealed from the closing time to the next day’s opening
time. In spite of the stringent security measures, the custody of the sealed museum remains with well-equipped police force and guards.
Unless absolutely inevitable, the museum is never allowed to be opened or kept opened after the closing time, sources pointed out.
Moreover, an official register is maintained strictly by the department to note the reasons for any special exhibition or extra time. A permission has to be obtained from the competent authority for the purpose.
The sources said that a good number of the artifacts, due their rarity and importance, is kept in a vault while their replicas had been put on display.
Especially for the antique barons, original artefacts were taken out from the vault and brought to the committee room of the museum during the VVIP sessions. The barons were special invitees at the session. According to the sources, some of the artefacts on display were steatite Bust of King Priest (Moenjodaro, 2500-1500 BC), brass container (914 AH), bronze door knockers (Al-Mansurah, 8th-13th century), and rare manuscripts.
The museum officials maintained that the events were organized officially. However, they declined to disclose any details like names of the invitees and the co-organizers.
An investigation into the affair revealed that an exclusive club of mostly billionaires, Young Presidents’ Organization, played a key role in organizing the secret exhibition. Members of the organizations include chiefs of some high-profile multinational companies.
When asked, the Director General of the Archeology Department and the museum, Saeedur Rahman, claimed that the department was very much empowered to hold such special exhibitions. Maintaining that he did not know the invitees, he advised that Mohammad Maherban, Superintendent of the museum could help in this regard. When contacted, Mr Maherban said that the list of invitees was prepared by the office of the Director General which also issued invitation cards. He said though he was not in possession of the guests’ list, the museum’s Assistant Curator (manuscripts), Mohammad Shah Bukhari, could help because the programme was organized by him. Mr Bukhari has proceeded to Saudi Arabia to perform Haj.
Mr Maherban said that there was no entry fee for the special exhibition and no commitment by any visitor was made with regard to funding.
Despite the secrecy maintained by the officials, it transpired that at least one of the invitees was a close relative of an antique collector. The antique collector was caught in London with a 2000-year-old ivory statue which had gone missing from Kabul Museum. A court had later convicted him.
