Antiques 'stolen' from Punjab Assembly amid pro-Qadri protest

Published March 5, 2016
The provincial assembly's security supervisor claims the antiques were stolen during the protest. —DawnNews screengrab
The provincial assembly's security supervisor claims the antiques were stolen during the protest. —DawnNews screengrab
The provincial assembly's security supervisor claims the antiques were stolen during the protest. —DawnNews screengrab
The provincial assembly's security supervisor claims the antiques were stolen during the protest. —DawnNews screengrab

LAHORE: Age old antiques and souvenirs were reported missing from Punjab Assembly's museum after a protest against the provincial government over the execution of Mumtaz Qadri ended on Friday, the assembly's security supervisor Riaz Ahmed told DawnNews.

Riaz Ahmed claimed that the antiques were "stolen from the museum within assembly premises by the protesters who ransacked the building" after Friday prayers. DawnNews reported that the antiques included a gift from the Government of Oman.

An assembly employee told media that around a hundred protesters came, beat the men on duty at the museum and stole some antiques from the place.

Police reached the spot following the incident and collected evidence but so far no one has been taken into custody.

People belonging to different religious groups and right wing political parties staged protests and brief sit-ins in Lahore against the execution of Mumtaz Qadri, the former Elite Force commando hanged till death for killing former Punjab governor Salman Taseer.

Protesters were carrying placards and banners inscribed with anti-government and pro-Qadri slogans.

Also Read: Millionaires unveil Pakistan’s artefact smuggling secrets

Back in 2014, antiques stolen from Balochistan province were recovered by Italian police in Rome.

The recovered antiques were said to be thousands of years old and were considered highly valuable in the international market, a statement issued by Balochistan government had said.

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