LAHORE, Aug 22: A team of archaeologists and an FIA official have not been issued NOCs to attend a seven-day workshop on the ‘Protection of cultural heritage in South Asia’ scheduled to begin at Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka, on Sunday.

The ICOM has organized the workshop inviting the heritage professionals, police and custom officials and the other officers concerned from Pakistan and other South Asian countries.

Four archaeologists each from the Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Sindh and a deputy director from the FIA were selected to attend the workshop, but the government did not issue them NOCs.

According to the officials of the archaeology department, Pakistan is among those countries in South Asia where the theft of antiquities is on the rise. “Such workshops and conferences help the heritage professionals and the other officers concerned to interact with their colleagues in other countries in devising different ways and means to check such thefts.”

They claim some elements in the federal government deliberately delay the issuance of NOCs because they want the ‘men of their choice’ to represent Pakistan in different workshops, conferences and seminars.

“Some 70 per cent invitations to various government departments for attending international conferences on different issues often lapse either due to ‘procedural complications’ or a ‘tug-of-war among senior officials for the selection of their desired persons’.

The workshop on the protection of cultural heritage is aimed at adopting a national legislation to regulate archaeological excavations and forbidding the illicit export of cultural heritage.

The South Asian region is largely affected by illicit traffic and looting of cultural heritage. India, Pakistan, Nepal and Cambodia are said to be among the most affected countries. These countries have no proper security system to control the theft.

The government has failed to enhance security measures in museums and nail corrupt officials in the Customs Department which resulted in an increase in theft incidents.