06 June 2004	Sunday	17 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

PESHAWAR, June 5: Archaeologists have dug out a 2,000-year-old statue of 'Future Buddha' near Aziz Dheri in district Swabi during excavations, said an official of the Directorate of Archeology and Museums.

The centuries-old statue of Boddhi Sattvi Maithrya or Future Buddha is about one and a half feet high.

"This is one of the most important archaeological sites as many pieces of Ghandahara art had also been excavated from the other, nearby sites before," said an archaeologist of the excavation team.

He said excavation, during which the statue was found, was started last month.

The site at Rani Ghaat was also excavated by archaeologists in 1992-1993.

The team members had also unearthed stone tools in Mohmand Agency a few weeks ago. Similarly, they discovered Stone-age caves near Nawagai in district Hangu at a site called 'Aneagatki'. About two dozen caves dating back to 10,000 to 40,000 years were found in the agency.

"The first-ever excavation in the Mohmand agency proved very fruitful and it shows the archeological importance of tribal areas," said an archaeologist.